Short hops and hard knocks with Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne.

Ted, Yaz and Jim — Left field trio for ages

Finally, Jim Rice is in the Hall of Fame. And finally, the holy trinity of Red Sox left fielders is truly complete.

Think about this. Three Hall of Fame left fielders who played their entire career with one team, one succeeding the other. I am going to say it right now. This will never happen again.

I am now a sportswriter but when I was in my youth, growing up in the Boston area, I enjoyed the heck out of watching Jim Rice play baseball. I’ve never seen someone produce such swift bat action with their wrists. What a strong man he was. He played hard, he played hurt, and he smoked the ball, just about every day.

Yes, there were some double plays, particularly in the mid ’80s. But there were a whole lot more screaming line drives. He could also play left field. People forget this. This guy developed into a strong defensive player at Fenway Park, where he truly mastered The Wall.

Listening to him speak the last two days, it is unbelievable how relaxed and happy he has become. Jim always put up that front of insecurity, but it has been utterly gone the last two days.

I was at the game in 1982 when a little boy got nailed in the head by a Dave Stapleton line drive. The kid was bleeding and fans were in stunned silence, not knowing quite what to do. Jim Rice never flinched. He hopped out of the dugout, reached into the stands to grab the kid and got him into the clubhouse immediately to get looked at by the doctors. A young Theo Epstein was also at this game, and referred to it yesterday. I hadn’t thought about that moment in years, but when Theo mentioned it, the memories immediately flooded back of Rice so heroically handling the situation.

Now, he is a Hall of Famer, and for those who watched him every day for most of his career, it is nice to see.

I’m looking forward to the night when No. 14 goes on the right-field facade next year. Hopefully they can do some re-arranging with the numbers so the sequence is 9, 8 and 14.

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324 Comments

I blogged at that incident with the little boy yesterday. I think it speaks volumes as to the type of person Jim Rice is. I too grew up, and still live, in the Boston area and I have very fond memories of watching Yaz, Rice, Lynn, Dewy, Spaceman, Fisk and all play. What a great day it was yesterday for Jim Rice and all of Red Sox Nation.

I forgot about the kid getting hit. But I do remember Jim picking up Jerry Remy and carrying him to the dugout. Jerry hurt himself sliding into home plate. Rice picked him up like Remy was a little kid and carried him off the field.

That’s quite a story: 3 consecutive left-fielders going into the Hall. Way to go Jim Rice!!

Hey everyone!! Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a couple of days.. A very wonderful time with the flu!! I havent had a cold or flu in 3-4 years. It started last Wednesday (went to work, they sent me home) I went to work everyday, They kept sending me home. Today I went a got a shot in the ol keester and a Zpak and that should take care of it.
ANYWAY… Good to see Jim Rice (finally) make it into the Hall!!!
Arnie, we moved up from the top 15 because we’re the only bloggers still blogging in the offseason (WE HAVE NO LIFE!!!!) LOL!!!! I like being able to come here anytime and get some baseball (and other) conversation.
(as the Pointer Sisters break into ‘WE ARE FAMILY…..”)
I wonder if Ian knows that we’ve broken through the glass ceiling that is the Top 10!!! Someone alert Dick Clark!) This is all the meds talking.
Anyway good to be among the living (almost) again … bye for now.

Great to have you back, Ellen! I’ve narrowly escaped having the flu by using massive doses of Emergen-C and echinacea. Everyone here has been sick as dogs.

Anyway, I think having a life is highly over-rated, in fact, I’d go as far as to say having a life is for losers. Get yourself some all-consuming interest like the Red Sox, for example, instead of sitting around having a life. BOOOORING!!!!

I have never lived in New England, let alone in the Boston Area. I have been to Boston only once (1978) and only saw Fenway from the outside. Yet, living in a town (DC) that had no baseball team, I grew up a Red Sox (and Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins–I wanted to be loyal to one city, and aside from my loyalty to DC teams Boston was it). I grew up watching the Red Sox, therefore, from afar; Yaz had already moved out of LF to make way for Rice. How I loved watching them play for the Red Sox! (I hope those of you who who have watched the Red Sox–let alone the Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins–know how fortunate you are!) I loved watching Rice and Yaz play on the same field, along with Dewey, Fisk, and the rest. Congratulations, Jim, you were one of my sports heroes growing up, and I thought it was LONG OVERDUE for you to get into the HOF! GO SOX!

I personally am far too young to have had the joy of watching any of those guys (18), but from clips and specials I’ve seen, as well as watching Jim Rice comment and use analogies and stories before and after tons of Sox games, even as a young’n lol, I knew he deserved it. I am very proud and happy for him.Congratulations Mr. Jim Rice!

It is so nice to see Jim Rice make it to the HOF. He deserves it. I enjoyed watching him over the years. I could care less about his realtionship with the press…..I’m just a fan who likes to watch the game. Another guy who seems to get zero respect every year is Lee Smith. Does anyone know why he never comes close. He was dominant at his position for a long time. I am not a big Lee Smith fan but he seems to get overlooked every year. I’ll bet Hoffman makes it first time out. Their numbers can’t be too far off…..Smith had 478 saves. Hoffmann just went over 500 not that long ago. 478 saves and not even close to getting in….wow. Just wondering….

Hey, Torthox, one advantage of being as young as you are is that you missed out on most of the Curse! A gentleman who lives on our street (and is a fellow Sox fan) recently turned 80 years old, and he’s seen as many championships in his lifetime as you and I have. Think about that–you’re getting to watch the Red Sox during our Golden Era! ;)

You’re absolutely right, CF04, and Lee Smith should get more credit than he does. Same with Jack Morris–a Complete Game MACHINE–and others. The baseball writers need to re-examine the highlight reels, or their own heads!

One more thing, Torthox (by the way, I hope you continue blogging here, also), one reason I get so fed up with people who want to trade Mike Lowell and not let him rehab is because Lowell is the same type of player that Rice was (though he will likely never come close to HOF numbers): gritty, hard-working, solid production, hits for power and avg., and doesn’t complain–just goes out and does his job with little to no respect or fanfare. Exactly the type of guy you want in a clubhouse, on the field, or representing your team in the media (Lowell gets along with the media better than Rice ever did, but will never talk negatively about teammates or opponents with the media). That, along with his numbers, is exactly why I want Lowell to remain on this team (and we got him for next to nothing in the Josh Beckett trade), and attempt to repeat his 07 WS MVP numbers. GO SOX!

Mike lowell leads by example…the toughest way to lead. I have said a small prayer for that guy often this winter in respects to his rehab. No one deserves to come out of this and have a good year more than Mike Lowell. And you know he’s not dogging it this winter….he’s working his butt off to get better. I know that because that is how Mike Lowell does things. Mike Lowell and the Sox in ’09….GO SOX!!!!!

The line drive story is a great story about a great man. I’m so glad that Jim Rice is heading to Cooperstown. I just turned 40, and my first year of following baseball was 1975, when I was 6. I watched the ’75 World Series, and became an instant Red Sox fan, even though I was raised in Big Red Machine country. Though Rice didn’t play in that series, I became very familiar with him following the Sox through the years and eventually going to Red Sox games. Rice, Lynn and Evans – what an outfield that was!

Greg you’re right, it’s actually pretty crazy how much easier I’ve had it than so many Sox fans, I sort of feel bad lol.

And I never really thought about the similarities between the two (Rice, Lowell) but now I can definitely see it. Mike Lowell is one of the guys who, coming from an 18 year old, you can really look up to and see how the game should be played.

I love the kind of player that doesn’t need to put up monster numbers to make an impact, simply because they work day in and day out to do all that the they can to contribute and lead, and I think Lowell does both of those things very well. I hope he has a smooth recovery!

I agree with you about Lee Smith. He was dominating! His time with the Red Sox was interesting. Only Lou Gorman would have 2 closers on his team, Reardon was the other. Last I heard of Reardon ( Mass. native ) he was holding up a bank in the West Palm Beach area. lol.

If that is true about Cora, oh no there goes the season for the Red Sox!

im another mikey supporter…he reminds me of butch yrs back…hard working plr whos heart is left on the field everyday…theo knows this and that its contagious….congrats to jimbo again ….i know we will never see dewey grace the hallls but he was always my hero during this time with ofcourse bird,neely,and grogan…..and to compliment a previous blogger…yes we have been lucky to grow up in a town with so much history and passion for sports….go BOSTON…….judge

Great to see Jim Ed, into the Hall. Next Blyleven, this guy should be there too.
Seen Jim years back at Bristol, Ct. in AA, great team there. First day call up, my friend and me skipped work to go to game. White Sox, Moret pitches 1 hitter, Rice gets his first 2 hits in majors. Jorge Orta only hit that day.

I was at a game when Rice returned from a elbow injury. Late July 1989…The Red Sox were playing the White Sox. Melido Perez was on the mound for Chicago. Rice steps in and gets a big ovation from the Fenway faithful. Later in the game he strikes out with runners on base and the faithful were not faithful anymore, booooos were heard. How quickly it can change in Boston! Oh by the way Fisk won that game with a H.R. the only run in the game! Almost 20 yrs. ago. Time flies that is for sure, it seems like last night it happened. Oh well, sign of age.

Gurantees for 2009 for the Red Sox. Drew will miss games because of a hang nail. I wish Vegas had a over/under on the amount of games Drew will play. Perhaps our friend/ blogger Craig who lives in Vegas can look into that. I would say the over/under is around 125 games. I say under! LOL!! I wish Drew could stay healthy because the guy can flat out hit!

last yr there was a play in rt field where drew (although an above average fielder) didnt make the throw to the plate late in the game which eventually lead to the winning run…wouldve been a great play anyhooo but my son piped up…daddy could dewey have made that play….i almost choked on my beer and replied son..he wouldnt have run on dewey and that run would have been stranded….i still remember a day where fielder ripped a single to rt field where i was sittin in my perch by the pole and dewey took the liner on a hop and gunned out cecil before he was halfway to 1st…..was the highlight of my young life lol….there arent many plrs today that think that much and are in the game no matter what day a yr it is,….but….the sox with yuke,dusty,mikey and a few others are getting back to that constant pride and love for the game….judge

Evans had a great arm for sure. Very few good arms in baseball now. Upton, Ichiro just too name a couple. Drew has an above average arm and Kotsay does as well. Ellsbury throws similar too Johnny Damon. Ellsbury a little better but certainly nothing great. All these guys with trainers and very few good arms in the outfield now.

id like give a personal opinion of mine that i go around the bush with alot with my buddies….i feal that the biggest ….no the most disgusting snubbing if u will for the HOF is the fact that pete rose isnt allowed to enter hof….i mean to me pete is in the top 5 alltime baseball plrs….it disgusts me that he was banned and that now the talk of bonds and clemens entering when they have the chance ….does everyone agree with me that roses should be lifted and bonds and clemens and the admitted juicers should be banned?…..judge

one last thought before i go out and shovel snow….if i remember correctly dewey was the man who made the play that allowed fisk to go down in history as probably the most remembered red sox highlight with his 13th ining homerun against the big red machine….he caught morgans liner then dbld up griffey at 1st to extend game…if u look a lil further back in the game i think it was carbo who hit that 3 runner homer also …..lord im gettin old lol….judge

That Evans catch in the 75 series might have been the greatest play in World Series history! Call me a homer but I can’t think of a better/bigger play at such a big moment! Clutch by Evans! Evans ending his career with the Birds, I wish he ended his career with the Red Sox!

Judge, regarding Pete Rose and the Hall: If you know the history of the game, and I’m sure you do, you know that the 1919 Black Sox scandal almost bankrupted baseball. The times and the game were very different and baseball had a tenuous grasp on existance and profitability. Yea, I know, the owners were all rich, but the organization itself wasn’t. All the games were day games so if you wanted to go you had to miss work, likely to get you fired, or be fairly prosperous or an executive. The crowds were MUCH smaller. Anyway, gambling almost did the game in, so baseball is VERY sensative to any gambling in and around the game. Pete Rose admitted he gambled on games he was managing. That’s equivalent to taking a cyanide pill—you’re done!
Having said all that, I agree with you about his numbers and the way he played. If Pete was playing sandlot ball with his grandmother he’d bowl her over at home plate and send her to the hospital and not think twice. (And then bet with his grandpa on how long she’d be in!) Rose played every inning, every pitch as if it was the 9th inning of the 7th game of the World Series. But he made the fatal mistake of going against baseball’s gambling taboo and he pays the price.
I’m not moralizing about gambling–personally I think it’s a losing proposition— but that’s a personal choice. If you want to gamble, so be it, I’m not against it. But not in the MLB, they take that far more seriously than steroids.
And as long as I’m typing up my useless opinions, I agree with you about the inconsistancy in MLB if they allow the steroid users in the Hall but still don’t allow Pete Rose in.

Anyone think Jerry Remy would strap ‘em up and back up Dustin at 2B? He can do his Remy Report from the infield ;)! Anyone going to the game when Rice’s #. is put on the Wall of Fame? It’s going to be great to see it go up! Anyone hear what date that will be? I’ll be watching! GO SOX!

I want to add my congratulations to Jim Rice for his long over-due admission to the HoF. As I have shared several times previously, I remember watching him at the plate one day, checking his swing and breaking the bat from the brute force of the swing, with the barrel end of the bat spinning like a helicopter over the 3rd baseman’s head.

I also heard (though I never saw) that because Rice enjoyed golf, when he came to Cleveland, he would typically be invited out to the club I have belonged to since 1982. The course has a hole, we play it as the 15th, but the Senior PGA Championship will play it as the 6th (if you really want to understand the import of this story, tune in in late May) which is a short Par 4, perhaps 350 yards or so. However, it goes down approximately 250 yards to the bottom of an incline where the hole is bi-sected by a stream, with the incline being perhaps 60 feet high rising up to the green.

According to the stories of my fellow members, they would put Rice on the forward tee, and watch him pop drives 250-275 yards, carrying to the top of the hill near the green. Before you dismiss that as nothing significant, remember;

1. That was in a day when his driver was a wooden headed one (not today’s high-tech Titanium that’s as big as big as a Volkswagon) with a steel shaft;
2. To get it up onto the top of that hill, that last portion of the drive was pure carry;
3. As well: the last portion of the drive being 60-75 feet higher than when it took off, 250-275 yards back.

What I remember most about Jim Rice was Fred Lynn. The year Lynn had in 1975 was incredible, winning both ROY and MVP. I watched the game in Detroit in which he hit 3 HR’s and knocked in 10 RBI’s — an absolute hitting machine. And yet, with all of that, the commentators continued to say, that as good as Lynn was, Rice was going to be better. Boy was he ever!!!,

Way to go, Jim Rice!! I will look into acquiring tickets to the induction ceremony, both for me, and for my Yankee-loving son-in-law.

i was at a sox game 4-5 yrs after jimbo came up….we were just to the left of the dugout…clean view of home and one inning jim snapped his bat in half on a check swing..all u could do was whistle and say wowzas lol…man was a bull….judge

Kramer….. Ralph Branca wore the #13, hmmmmm I wonder if it was the right number for him. Marino wore the #13—great reg. season but Marino couldn’t cut it when it counted most. A-Rod as well, same story as Marino. LOL!! Then again Kurt Warner has worn that number and he has a Super Bowl title and maybe another one on the way. That number worked for the late great Wilt Chamberlain. Of course John Valentin wore that number as well, he was o.k. Valentin walked out of camp when a young s.s. with the name of Nomar Garciaparra was going too take his job. Nomar was one player I was certain was going too Cooperstown. That wrist injury was all she wrote for him and maybe something else but will not say what. hmmmmmmmmm

there is only one way to deal with a crazed yankee fan…take them to a yr ending candy sale….buy them as many and the most expensive sweets in the shop and then tell them u have the best sweets in the world…..ofcourse we all know that a sugar rush only lasts a lil while and has no real value lol…..ill stick to the fruit aisle with the redsox…judge

I would never ever say cut up and thrown out. I enjoy reading all posts on here. We all have our observations/opinions and I respect all of them, don’t agree with everything and that is a great thing. Just like when I write something on here…I am sure I have annoyed a few at times! HA..HA…

Pavano will have a lower E.R.A. than Sabathia!
Penny will win more games than Burnett.
Ravens/Steelers winner… wins the Super Bowl. Does Joe Flacco have the best arm of any q.b. in the N.F.L.???? Talking about two teams that can hit/play physical football. I hope Bill Belichick is watching that game. The Pats haven’t been tough in a while!
Great job by the Chiefs too nab Pioli, K.C. will be in the playoffs in less than 3 yrs. McDaniel went too a great place. Mangini a head coach again. I don’t know about that one!

Fred Lynn would have been in the hall too, it stayed in Boston. His swing was taylor made for that park. Funny thing about Lynn was a so-so hitter in the minors. Always had the defense.
Evans catch has to rank up there defensively, Carter’s home run offensively, and pitching only one and one only, Don Larsen’s perfect game.
Lugo like I said hurt us in retaining Joey Cora, I liked this guy a lot. I wish him well. I give 1% chance of Young coming here. He was ranked as 27th of all major league shortstops last year. Catches the ball but has limited range. 32 yr old SS, with that much payroll would surprise me a lot if Theo went for it. Argenis Diaz is guy I am thinking they might bring up sooner than expected.
John Smoltz really impressed me and his press conference. Talking about a player who will lead by example, if no one traded watch this staff get even better, especially among the kids.
Theo said the most profound statement I ever heard, he said we start our season in October and go backwards.
A statement like this does not sound very good for Varitek and Boras.
A possibility that could happen is Varitek waives his no trade clause, Sox waive compensation, Sox sign him to TEAM friendly contract, and he gets traded, for maybe younger catcher. Sox will not back down on the draft picks otherwise Varitek and Boras are still in limbo. From other teams sites they do not want to give up a second round pick for him. His stock has fallen the most of any Class A Free Agents. All good GM’S have patience, Theo is right up there.

Brian,
I retired on February 13, 2004 and the star Short Stop on my triple champion softball team wore #13. Also funny that A-Rod chose #13 because he is a Marino fan. The most tragic #13 of recent note is Jim Leyritz!

When Lynn was traded to the Angels in 1981, as I remember it, the Sox could have demanded either Frank Tanana or Nolan Ryan. I was one of those knuckleheads praying that the Sox would stay away from Ryan, as I felt he had thrown too many fastballs by that point. Shows what I know. Unfortunately, the Sox apparently viewed it the same way, and took a pass on Ryan. BIGGGG Mistake!!!!

In 1981 Nolan Ryan was with the Astros. As you know Tannana was a member of the Red Sox in 1981 and was in the Lynn trade. I don’t know what the numbers show but I would assume Lynn was a lifetime .300 hitter at Fenway and probably a little more than that. As Rooster said earlier, Lynn was tailor made for Fenway. I totally agree with Rooster.

I remember when Tannana was with the Tigers. He was a soft tosser then but was effective. He pitched a gem on the final day of 1987 against the Blue Jays. The Tigers clinched the A.L. East. One of the best regular season games I have ever seen! Tiger Stadium was rocking that Sunday afternoon.

Great news for Jim Rice – & well deserved (imho!). I remember being across is New England during the summer of 1986, watching Boggs & Baylor & Rice, &, as a rookie to baseball, learning about their different hitting styles. Boggs always seemed to hit for base; Baylor always seemed to take a hit to get on base; & Rice – well, Rice always just seemed to smoke it to get on base!

All of that said – to an outsider, the whole ‘Hall of Fame’ thing is quite an odd phenom – there’s just nothing like this kind of institutional recognition in UK sport…

Ian – I really liked your piece on the Red Sox Rookie Program – during this Hot Stove time of fevered speculation & fantasy, I really think that the farm system is the ultimate source of the current Red Sox well-being.

Bearing that in mind, I think Theo’s low risk/low money/high potential reward philosophy of signings, based on short contracts with big incentive clauses, for very high quality players either reaching the ends of their careers or coming of the back of injuries – but players who have been identified as having real hunger & commitment for late season success – is a perfect complement to the substantial investment in the farm system.

“Evans had a great arm for sure. Very few good arms in baseball now. Upton, Ichiro just too name a couple. Drew has an above average arm and Kotsay does as well. Ellsbury throws similar too Johnny Damon. Ellsbury a little better but certainly nothing great. All these guys with trainers and very few good arms in the outfield now.”

I was at a Mariners game and saw Ichiro grab a ball in the RF corner that had rebounded off the wall, turn and gun a guy down at 3B without a hop. Ball was dead on and beat the runner by half a second or so. My friend and I just looked at each other in amazement.

Congratulations on your softball success, Kramer. You’ve got my team beat, we only won 2 championships. Of course, we played in the modern era (late ’90’s) when everybody was bigger & stronger, LOL. I may qualify for a third championship ring, however, because the 2nd baseman on our team also played on another good team. One time I was subbing for his other team because their pitcher was called out of town unexpectedly. Anyway, the first 2 hitters smoked doubles off me and I ended up giving up 2 runs in the first. I thought it might be a long evening, but I settled down and held them. About halfway through the game we were tied up at 2 and I said,” Get me some runs and I’ll hold ‘em down.” So our 2nd baseman, who was superstitious as all get-out and had this ritual where just before I threw the first pitch of the inning I would turn and throw the ball to him at 2nd. This time he says, “throw it to me twice.” And then he says,”Oh yea, if we win this game, we win the trophy!” Pressure!!! Well, anyhow, I throw the ball to him 2 times, and sure enough, we score 5 runs in the bottom of that inning and we win 7 to 4. That was my 3rd championship, if it counts. I sure do miss those games.

Bulletin: Owners decide to abandon coin flip to resolve tiebreakers! Owners decide not to have tie games in playoffs (will resume suspended playoff games until completed)! No more ties in MLB, right Donovan McNabb ;)?!

Greg: I first learnt about Aardsma been DFAed from mlbtrade rumor yesterday afterroon. Jeff also reported it in the evening.
Ah…. Papelbon filed for arb. I just have the feeling that Papelbon is not a true Red Sox like Youk and Dustin. All he sees is big $$$$$. Is Bora$ his agent?

Great sign glad we got Youk for a while. I am not too sure about Aardsma, Devern Hansack was the one I thought they would move. He has not shown me anything. Good arms are always a good thing to keep.
Zaun got signed by Baltimore, something should be happening soon on catcher. I think Sox will wait one more year for extensions on Papelbon, and Lester.
Now Daniel Bard might be an important part for Sox, I think they pulled their offer. Papelbon was tired at end of season. Saito I am still not sold on him. Great at one time, but elbow problems leave me skeptical. I do think this is a crossroad year for DelCarmen. He better start pitching consistently, otherwise no different than Aardsma.

More I look at Youk?s signing, more I feel that missing out on Teixeira is a disguised blessing. I am not saying Youk is better than Tex. But statistically, it is very close. Youk is only 1 year older and yet Youk has helped the team to win 2 ws (at least 11/2 ws). Tex has yet to play in an ALCS. Youk will make $10M and Tex $22.5M a year. Figure that out, folks.

I’m really happy that they signed Youk. I was getting a little worried that he might hold out. But he doesn’t seem like that kind of player. He is a part of the nucleus of our great team. And to compare the numbers with Texeira, it’s so close. I like Youk’s grit and desire more than Texeira’s. Gimme a dirt dog any day of the week over an overpaid “superstar”.

Greg1969,
No HOF for me, but my shortstop played in seven leagues for seven teams spread out over six days a week including a split team double header!
Also, A-Rod and Marino were both Miami QBs and I believe at the same time. Not sure if A-Rod was a high school or college QB, but his tight end was Doug Meintkiewicz!

007, you’re right to be a little more apprehensive about Pap not signing an extension. From what I have seen and read (if the 40-year-old grey matter still serves me well, it was in SI), Pap, while wanting to remain a Red Sox, is motivated also by a desire to set a “standard for closers”, record-wise and salary-wise. He has stated publicly that he wants to eventually be considered the best closer ever, directly comparing himself to Mariano, ultimately wanting to surpass Rivera’s records–and be compensated accordingly. While he wants that to be in a Red Sox uniform, wanting to be the Red Sox version of Rivera, he is willing (he says) to play for a different team if these “standards for compensation” are not met. Thus, while he MIGHT sign a longer-term deal, I think he will continue to go the arbitration route (and no, so far as I know, “Beam Me Up Scotty” is not his agent). I think his shoulder may cause some problems for him in his quest to attain this goal, but even if it doesn’t, the Red Sox likely will end up going year-to-year with Pap.

007, I hope the meeting goes well between Tek and JH, it (a private meeting w/mgmt) is what Schill was advocating for on his blog, and I still hope they offer Tek a year-to-year option as Judge advocated. We’ll see. GO SOX!

Yes, I am very leery of Pap?s arm. Pap was used up approaching the end of the ALCS last year. What if the Sox were in the WS, would Pap be able to pitch? I would develop another closer just in case. I hope the Sox will have an everyday catcher at openiing day after tonight?s meeting.

That’s why I am hoping the starters go further into games than they did last year, 007. I will be curious to see how Oki and Masterson do this year–will Oki be more like 2007 or 2008? Will Masterson remain in the bullpen or move to starter? I hope Ramirez turns out to be a good middle innings guy, but I’m not sure how he’ll fare at Fenway. I’d also like to see an upgrade from DelCarmen and (especially!) Lopez. I still think Lopez is the biggest bust on the staff–more than DelCarmen, Timlin, or Aardsma–so I’d love to see him get traded. But maybe a complementary closer will work alongside Pap–Oki did some of that in 07, maybe he or Masterson will this year. GO SOX!

What a great thread by Schilling!!! He hit all the nails right on the head. Especially the part regarding Boras/Tek and the culpability issue. Although they are equally to blame for Teks current situation, Tek PAYS Bora@*** for his “expertise”. Somehow Tek’s payment to Boras should be refunded as he failed horribly at the assignment that Tek gave him to complete. and Yes, as I said, Tek too is at fault, but not nearly as much as the money grubbing, slimeball, lowlife of an “agent” that he has (mis)laid his trust in.
Note to John Henry: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE OHHHHHH PLEEEEEEEEASE BRING OUR GUY HOME AND SOON!!!!! Put the last piece of our 2009 puzzle into place, AND LETS PLAY SOME BASEBALL!!!!

Brian,
Could not find anything on player’s over and under for games played. I would shoot for the under if it existed if the over/under was around 120 on JD Drew. Would have checlked for you earlier but I was in Atlanta Wed-Fri freezing my butt off!!!!!!!!

Rooster7, I think you’re right to be a little skeptical about Saito. Gagne at one time was a great pitcher, also–still holds (last I checked) the record for consecutive saves without blowing a save (when with the Dodgers). What has he done lately? :/ Anyway, hopefully Saito can fare better than Gagne did (but that wouldn’t take much)!

Greg, What a coincidence that you should ask “What has Gagne done lately”… I just happened to be at a convention of fast food managers last week and ran into 3 or 4 from Gagnes home town. They are absolutely ecstatic!!!! He has single handedly jumpstarted the economy there. The number of double 1/4 lb’ers, Taco’s bell grande’s and bear claws that have been sold this off season has sent this town rushing to the bank. They now have a surplus in their local budget.. The one business there that has a dim future is the Bally’s Fitness club.

Watched Saito last year before injury, was hitting 97mph, after he went on 60 day DL, pitched in 1 game play-offs was topping out at a very hittable 90mph. Read that doctors on Dodgers wanted him to have Tommy John, but his age would have been long time rehabbing. He tried new drug to help him. I just dont think you will see that same dominating pitcher that he once was. Proably will have to pitch at this point of career, and not try to overpower hitters anymore.
Cant sit too well for GM when an owner takes over negotiations on contract. This headline should read, GM Theo Epstein flies down to Atlanta to see if fair contract can be reached. Facts are facts, if Theo thought this was the most important signing for the Sox it would have been done first. In one way good if he signed has the bad years at the bat like he is having, GM Theo is off the hook.

You’re right as usual regarding Nolan Ryan being gone to the Astros by the time the Lynn — for — Tanana trade got made in 1981. However, I still remember the back – and – forth conversation about Tanana vs. Ryan. Is it possible that the trade conversation went on for a couple of years prior to the teams pulling the trigger? So that when the trade talk started, Ryan and Tanana both pitched for the Angels?

After reading your observation about Ryan, I went and looked up his information. It’s amazing that the Angels waived him in 1979. Granted, I was one of those who felt that the 12 or so years he had been throwing major league fastballs had burned up his arm. However, When the Angels let him go in 1979, he had yet to win 167 of his 324 mlb victories…he had yet to throw 3 of his 7 no-hitters….in the last prior four years, 1975-79, he had thrown 74 (!!!!) complete games, without recording a season ERA higher than 3.72. (Compare that to today’s rubber arms — Doc Halladay has thrown a total of 40 CG’s in 11 years, CC Sabathia 26 in 8 years!!!)

In retrospect, I can’t tell you why the Sox didn’t pick him up after his release in 1979. I suspect today’s Sox FO would snap him up in a heartbeat!!

When you talk about Borass, you’ve got to say he has had a very bad Winter. His lead client, Big Teix, got about what he was predicted to get…no more. The guy who got the most beyond what he was deserving of…AJ Burnett…was not represented by Borass. CC Sabathia also did pretty well for himself, and didn’t need to use these BS phantom offers or setting one team off against another…he just honestly told the team that really wanted him…if you want me to pitch for you…this is what it’s going to cost….Oh. by the way, he wasn’t represented by Borass either.

Zazu, who had such an incredible last 6 weeks of the season that he got consideration for NL MVP…doesn’t have an offer on the tabe with P’s & C’s due in in less than a month! About the only client you can say he benefitted is D-Lowe, and that’s to go to a place he didn’t want to go to (and I believe is borne out of a panic brought on by the Sox swiping Smoltzie out from under them [the Braves]!!) Borass blew D-Lowe’s chance to link up with the Sox with his Big Teix shennanigans!

Now, with Tek smarting from having sidestepped an effective offer (via arbitration) of approx. $10 Mil. for 1 year, he will be lucky to get $10 Mil for multiple years. It will be very interesting to see what the Sox do with Tek. While they exhibit some loyalty to their players, especially those with the sort of long-term connections that Tek has with the team, they recognize this is a business. They must also want to slap Borass right in the face through one of his clients. I suspect Borass will be “as quite as” the rodent he is, after the deal is done.

As I said when Borass started making those silly comparisons with Jorge Posada…if the Yanks had a chance to reconsider their deal after 2008, Posada never would have gotten it. He got it because of the year he had before it. Theo and the FO had to be shocked when Tek didn’t take up their offer of arbitration!

I was sorry to learn that David Aadsma had been designated for assignment. I really felt his fastball had potential. Hopefully, he will accept the assignment and no one else will pick him up.

DBen, Aardsma’s player page says that Aardsma has been waived, sothat may complicate the issue of return. I also think he has potential–I like him better, still, than Lopez or DelCarmen.
Ellen, no recession, then, in Gagne’s home town? Hmmm… let’s see, does that mean that we need to frequent fast food restaurants and finess clubs to escape the recession?! ;)

dbenj: I heard on MLB Network the other night (they had a Braves FO guy on) that they told Smoltz that they would welcome him back AFTER they retooled their pitching staff, but not this year. And as far as Dlowe being the only one hat benefitted Borass, I think that 15-20 percent of 180 million that Texiera got would benefit me for the rest of my life!!!!! lol

Oh, I wanted to ask you guys something.. I feel like I’ve been living under a rock somewhere…. I googled Tek this morning to see if anyone else had written anything on his meeting with John Henry and came across a BUNCH of links to Jason Varitek/Heidi Watney… am I the only one who hadnt heard the rumors about the two of them????

Varitek asked for meeting without agent, nothing happened. Varitek said he wants to play for Sox. I’m sure he was asked why didn’t you take arbitration, then. Sox are only looking at 2 years the most out of Varitek, more like just 1. I will be surprised if he makes 5 million this year.

I read the article on the home page and my take on it wasn’t that nothing happened, what it said was that “there was nothing to report” , and John Henry “declined to comment” saying that “it would be inappropriate to do so”. We all know that it is RedSox Policy not to discuss these types of meetings. They apparently like to keep these things in the family so-to-speak, and I think that that’s a good idea, the fewer people that are involved the clearer communication stays. I truly hope that some of the distance between the Sox and Jason was bridged by this meeting.

The mistake Varitek made this off season was that he thought the market would be the same as it has been for many years. He didn’t take into consideration the economy. I could see it coming, but I can also understand why someone like a baseball player might not. These guys live in a different world, they are fabulously well-to-do but know little or nothing about business and don’t have to worry about how their salary is justified or where the money will come from. It just magically appears. So, in a market where only the Yankees went on a spending spree and there are still guys like Zazu who are unemployed, Tek finds himself with no offers and only one real choice, play for the Sox for less money than you’d like or stay home. Reality check!

greg1969– Producing a bumper sticker–“Ax Borax” is a great idea. If manufactured and sold at Fenway and to the Nation one could make a nice profit. I’m sure even some Yankee fans that remember the Arod fiasco (though probably offset be the unethical Texiera shenanigans) might be interested as well as those fans that remember the fiasco during the WS times that it created.
The only issue is that hopefully Borax- the product- doesn’t feel offended. But tha shoe certainly fits.

I didn’t mean to suggest that Big Teix didn’t get a “boatful” of money, or that Borass’ take from it won’t be substantial. What I was trying to suggest is that Borass did nothing to earn his cut — the commentators were giving Big Teix $170 Mil. or so going in, the amount Big Teix received by “Borass enhancement” was miniscule. Now, had Borass worked the Sox for $175 Mil. or so for Big Teix, then he might have gotten the Yanks in panic for lack of a big bat, to offer Zazu $100 Mil.+ for 4 years, which I suspect they would have done. Then its the Sox recognizing that signing D-Lowe means a miniscule draft pick. Hey, they committed $10 Mil. for Penny and Smoltzie…who knows what they would have paid D-Lowe had no real effect on their draft rights been involved. Also, Borass should have told Tek to take arbitration and settle for $10.5 Mil for this year, and come back next Fall when the economy and his bating numbers were both better. Getting more for all of his clients. Sometimes, mouthpieces let their egos get in the way. As a trial lawyer, I have seen that happen time and again. Instead, he can claim his client got the biggest contract given to a FA this off-season, and totally spin his failures.

I recognize some might suggest that my view is after the fact 20-20. However, someone with Borass’ experience had to know that the Sox would not be “in” on Zazu, but were “in big time” on Big Teix. As well, he should have been able to predict that if the Yanks picked up Big Teix, they would have no substantial interest in Zazu.

Instead, Borass let his ego get in the way of the best deal for all of his clients. Hopefully, his future potential clients will recognize that if they are not “the Big Tuna,” they might get the pointy end of the fishhook.

Pangelotti, yes, the Borax company probably would sue for unauthorized use, but they might be equally put off by the idea that they’re mentioned in the same sentence as “Beam Me Up Scotty”. Then again the ax union might also be offended! ;)
DBen, I think you’re exactly right, especially about the “new economic realities”, and its why I think “Beam Me Up Scotty” will not be a “Superagent” much longer.

dben,
I agree with you completely about the Boras/Tek fiasco. Boras got so greedy he screwed Tek out of a lot of $$$$$. If the players don’t see him for what he is now they never will. I think at one point early on in past years he helped the players get their cash but he gave Tek very bad advice and I think A-Rod crap canned him a few years ago. I know a lot of people think the Sox owe tek some loyalty but loyalty is a 2-way street.

Also…….I turn 50 in March and the wife is sending me to Monterrey to play Pebble Beach and Spyglass Golf Courses…..YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Both are on my bucket list. I’m sure my handi-cap will take a beating out there but—-oh well. Spring training and the Monterrey penninsula….can’t get much better than that!!!

Boras and Tek made a huge mis-calculation. And Tek is going to pay for it, not in money he’ll still get market value and hey, let’s not scoff at a couple or several million, but in pride and job satisfaction. These guys do pride themselves on how much they make and there is a lot of “face” lost if you hold out and DON’T get the $$$ you wanted. But, hey, sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t. We all have good and bad, no one is excepted from that. Tek will get over it, I’m sure.

Craig, congratulations on the big five-oh!!! You’re gonna love being in your 50’s! Everything’s better on this side of the age fence except for one thing: when that cute 30 year old girl smiles and calls you “sir”; that hurts. Also, when you think 30 year olds are “girls” makes you realize your glory days are behind you. That’s why they make golf clubs, gives you something to do now that you are off the menu, so to say. Have fun in Monterrey!

moanin all….sorry been away for a few at a hockey camp with my son…im only gonna comment on the tek thing this one time….let me ask you guys and gals a question 1st…who and how many have worn the “C” for boston….that being said …another question is how many plrs have given back money to an owner for underperforming?……..well im sure most of u know answers to both questions i asked….so now we are lead to the position of tek and ownership….tek should have taken the arbitration or just asked ownership for a similiar deal that wake has…..i would want tek as a bench coach at the very least for as long as he wants to…..the catcher to me along with short is the most important position on the field….now he doesnt have a great arm,his offense has dwindled(someone pls tell him to bat rt handed only) but he still handles a staff like no other…..to me if he bats 180 its a bonus for what he can do with a staff…but(here comes a tito hit) he needs to accept the fact that unless his offense increases he get ph for late in games…..the only thing i like about tito is that he sticks with plrs and gives em a shot to right the ship…but not a full yr…i mean geez….anyhoo…if i were tek i would drop bornazz and request a lifetime contract and atleast mentor a young catcher and work the bench for the sox for maybe 4-5 yrs or longer as a back up or coach ….possibly play some 1st here and there…..judge…the “C” wasnt given lighty and should not be worn lightly….its embarassing for ownership who awarded him the C and now look what it got them…judge

Arnie,
Thanks for the turning 50 insight! I don’t feel much different as I approach the big 5-O but when I am older than the president elect….well…OUCH!!!!! When they say Tek is getting old at 37….Youch again. As usual, age is a perception depending on your profession. Even though Garry will be pitching until he “craps the bed!” Oh, and I think Ellen is turning 50 this year too but I could be wrong. Ellen will probably stay 49 for at least 6 more years!!!!!!

I couldn’t agree with Judge more on his assessment of Tek, and I still hope his year-to year option (as player and/or coach) gets done. (I HOPE that was part of what JH conveyed to Tek in their mtg–anyone have an update on that mtg?). And he’s right about being a captain–even when Dustin or Youk (or anyone else) takes the C on the field, Tek would still be “The Captain”. I do think, though, that if Tek doesn’t heed mgmt. and take a deal similar to what Judge is describing, Tek will be on the outside looking in–so he might be wise to keep “Beam Me Up Scotty” on the sidelines!
Arnie and CF04: 49? Are you kidding? I thought Ellen and all women like her remained 39 forever, not just for 5-6 years! ;) My wife is still 39, anyway!
Get Tek’s deal finished, Theo! GO SOX!

Judge, you bring up a good point about being Captain. What that means to Tek is anyone’s guess, he holds his emotions in check, but as a fan I would expect certain things from the Captain of the Sox. For instance, I would be appalled if Tek signed with the Yankees. That’s just not done, in my opinion. I expect the Captain to stay out of trouble with the law. Also, I would like him to speak well of the team and resolve any disputes in private, not in the public forum of the media. And I would also assume that the Sox management would afford him a little more deference in dealing with his contract negotiations. Perhaps they are doing just that. Who really knows. Also, I would hope that Tek will think long and hard about going elsewhere just for a slightly better contract. If someone offered him a huge raise, well that’s different, but for similar money Tek should stay a Sox. Then of course, what to do when his playing days are over. Will he end with dignity like Yaz or will he try to play too long like Willie Mays and end up being booted? I should hope that the Sox management and Tek could come up with a suitable finish for Tek’s career. Getting ahead of myself there. Anyway, it is a responsibility on both sides of the C, the wearer and the team he represents.

Yes Craig, you’re right, I am turning 50 in June..But as far as staying 50?? I don’t think so.. Each line on my face has been EARNED!!! and I never ever hesitate when someone asks my age.. (unless its Sean Casey!!) I do think its a number and although last year when I had back surgery I felt 84 instead of 48, this year things are better and I’m feeling more like my old (pun intended) self!! But I do remember a time when I was watching baseball and the players were all older than me!!!! Long time gone!!!!

I relate to that at almost 40, Ellen (gosh, you mean he’s only X months younger than I am?! ACK! Uh, that guy’s HOW MUCH younger than I am?!). There was Jim Rice’s era, when the players were OLDER than I was. Ah, the “old days” ;). And to some, that means I am still a spring chicken, but I (and all my family) grey early, so I’m told I look “distinguished”! Hmmm…GO SOX!

Funny how when my go grey, they are “distinguished” when women go grey, we are just old!! lol but to that I have only 1 thing to say…. L’OREAL EXCELLENCE CREME HAIR COLOR, CHAMPAGNE BLONDE!!!! Gee,.. I never noticed before but in the missle of the word “excELLENce” is my name… lol

Nah, Ellen, you can’t be old–like I said, you’re 39 forever, right? ;) All I kept hoping was that I wouldn’t go grey before I turned 40, as my mother did! (ACK!) Then my daughter would say, “Daddy, you have another grey hair!” (grumble, snarl :/) Thanks, kid. (By the way,since she hasn’t grown up in Boston, either, she thinks this whole Red Sox/ Patriots thing is just “weird”. Hmmm…GO SOX!

I took a couple of weeks off and just spent about an hour getting caught up with all the posts. Craig, you’re just turning 50? I think I remember 50, but it was a while ago. And you’re right, I’ll be pitching (at least in my own little world) until I crap the bed. You and Arnie talking about softball brings back a lot of great memories. I played for 30 years before finally giving it up a few years back. I got to where I was having trouble seeing under the lights. My last year, our team, the Error Express, won the state Over 50 Championship in Florida. I went out on top. In my younger days, I played on as many as five teams at a time. Most years I played well over 300 games. It’s amazing how many former major league players play slow pitch softball. Jose Canseco is a lot of things, but he could flat out smoke a softball.

I was glad to see Youk signed, although I have to say I was surprised. I thought he might go a year at a time. He might have made more money but I thought he was very humble in his press conference. He, like Pedroia, is a ball player first and foremost. He’s making more than he ever thought possible. Sounds a little like Tom Brady too. Team first, I really like that.

Good for Jim Rice getting into the HOF. He was the most devastating hitter in the game for a decade and there are lesser players in the Hall. He deserved his selection. I was lucky to have the opportunity to watch him play a lot. I thought he would be the next Hank Aaron but he fell a little short of that.

Speaking of Hall of Famers, why isn’t Ray Guy in the Football HOF? He was the best ever at what he did? Doesn’t that merit some consideration?

Zazu is still looking for a job. Many teams, including the Sox, are exercising more business sense and realizing they get the most bang for the buck by developing their own players. I see the day of huge pay days for free agents coming to an end with a few exceptions. Teams are unwilling or unable to pay those huge dollars to a first baseman.

Pap needs a slice of humble pie. He isn’t and will never be Mariano Rivera. He won’t have either the longevity or endurance to accomplish what Rivera has done, or will do. Rivera is a freak of nature. He throws the same pitch, the same speed, all the time. Hitters know what’s coming and still can’t hit him. That’s really screwed up. He serves up that cutter, and says here it is, hit it if you can. The Sox are smart not to sign Pap long term. It will ultimately likely cost them more in the long run, but at least they won’t have a long term commitment to someone who is likely to be a high risk.

Well, that’s it for now. Hope the new year is going well for everyone.

Craig, I did graduate in ’77, and YES it was one helluva year!!!! Music was HUGE that year:Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Boz Scaggs Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet band etc..
I think that if I was single and still doing the bar/club thing, I would probably be spending money to look 39, but here I sit 49 plus, happily married and my husband knows right where to find me every night… even after the season!!!

Agreed, Garry, that Pap might need to readjust his thinking vis-a-vis Rivera, but that has been what he stated intention is as a closer, and right now he believes it. (That was the context of his comments during last year’s All-Star Game, when Pap waid he wanted to close–I suspect you may remember that brouhaha.) I commend him for having lofty aspirations, but I think the Red Sox FO is right, therefore, to go year-to-year with him on his contract, whether in arbitration, or settling on a contract before that. GO SOX!

All this talk about age! I just turned 40, and it feels weird to say I’m 40. I got so accustomed to saying I’m in my 30s. Otherwise, I feel no different than when I did when I was 30, except that I’m carrying about 30 more pounds on my 6-foot-5 frame!

Jeff,
6 foot 5 huh…..our baskertball season starts Wenesday…could use some heighth!!!! Coming to Vegas anytime soon?????? Garry I’ll be hitting you, Kramer and Arnie up for softball in June. Ellen, I have over 400 songs from the 70’s on my MP3 player. Guess who the DJ was at my 30th reunion. I am thinking about going to Dodger Stadium for the World Baseball Classic Finals. Do you guys think it would be worth it?

I think turning 40 was more traumatic than 50. Turning 40 was more of an uh-oh, I’m getting old! 50, you feel like, wow, this is cool, I can be grumpy and forget things if I want.

Garry, how the hell are ya?? Glad you’re back. You are correct about Papelbon, he’s got about 10 years to go, then we’ll see what kind of numbers he’s put up. But some players need to feed off their ambitions to find success. Papelbon would be wise to keep quiet about those ambitions, however.
I’ve thought about joining an over 50 softball league but I don’t have the time. Maybe there is an over 60 group I could join when I retire.

Arnie, Ray Guy was a punter for the Oakland Raiders during the 1970s until mid-1980s, and basically set the standard for later punters to live up to (college FB still has the Ray Guy Award for best NCAA punter each year). Garry, I have no idea (other than that he’s a punter–and would not get due respect for that simple reason) why Ray is not in the NFL HOF–if any punter should be, he should be it! He was simply PHENOMENAL!
I agree Pap should keep a lid on his ambitions and simply feed on them, but that’s not Pap. Some guys, if you ask them a direct question like that (“Should you close in the All-Star Game?” “Are you the best closer–better than Mariano?”, etc.), he’s going to talk. Take him or leave him. (And they say closers are a different breed…)

Thanks Arnie and Craig, good to be back. Missed you guys over the past couple of weeks. I’ve been suffering from Red Sox deprivation.

Arnie, Ray Guy is the greatest punter to ever play in the NFL. He played his entire career for the Raiders. He actually hit the scoreboard that hangs over the field at the Superdome in New Orleans one time. He was amazing. He was a big part of the Raiders during their hey days.

I didn’t mean to say Pap wasn’t a heck of a closer, because he’s among the best right now. However, the standard has been set by Rivera, and he’s got a long way to go to get there. I believe with back to back strong seasons, he would do very well in arbitration. However, I think the Sox will settle on a one year deal before that happens.

I think Jon Lester is eligible for arbitration next year. He’s a guy I’d like to see them wrap up for a while. He had a pretty fine year this past season, and I’m pretty sure he’s not done improving. He’s going to be awesome.

Too bad Cora signed with the Mets. He was a good guy to have around. I think the Sox will miss him.

I got a Red Sox calendar for Christmas. I couldn’t believe it. Julio Lugo was one of the 12 players pictured. One missing face was that of Jason Varitek. It seems strange to not have him included. Personally, I think he has some good years left in him. He’s better than he played this past year. I believe the Sox would be wise to resign him for a couple of years.

Aging is a very subtle process. Even though you don’t feel a lot differently as it happens, you start to find you just can’t do things the way you used to do them.

So did Ray Guy kick the 99 yard punt back in the day? I saw that game but I don’t remember who was playing. I also saw Jack, or was it Tom, Dempsey’s 63 yard field goal. I also remember reading in Sports Illustrated that George Blanda was visited by a spirit that gave him the ability to play football at the advanced age of 43(I think) anyway, 43 was VERY old at that time when players were not in as great of shape as now. That’s about it for my memories.

Hello Nation. It’s 10:06 a.m. my time and President Barack Obama has just taken oath. This is a time of hope for all of us. While I must admit, I did not vote for Obama, I will say (and I hope you agree to some degree) it can’t get much worse than it has been and we must pull together and support the new president and move forward. I think that we are at a turning point that is critical to our country. No matter what your political affiliation, or belief, we have to believe in change and we should work hard to make the changes necessary for success. We as a Nation, supporting our Sox believed for decades, through thick and thin, that our team could win it all. Now we must believe that our people can win it all as well. Stay positive nation. Let’s move forward.

I’m praying that Barack will do the right thing. Stay out of the way and let the American people do what they do best: work hard, be innovative and creative. Don’t try to fix everything for us; give us room to work. That’s all I’ll say here. Good luck Mr. Obama.

Great to have you back, Garry – I really enjoy reading your posts, & respect your views absolutely.
Like you, I like the mutual business that PD & Youk have done with the management. You called Pap perfectly – both in terms of his abilities, & in terms of the business that would be done – great work.
That said – reading of his signing was an excellent footnote to the extraordinary, & momentous, events that have been playing out in Washington today.
As a contributor from afar – I wonder if I might say that you, as citizens of your country, must feel very proud of the course on which you have chosen to embark by electing this remarkable man. We here in the UK are certainly very impressed & inspired by what you have chosen to do!

With all due respect jambo04, this boot-licking and fawning over Obama by the international community gives me the creeps! At the end of the day he’s a politician who is very crafty with his speech and is careful to make absolutely nothing sound FANTASTIC! Personally, I prefer it when other nations have a healthy apprehension when they think of us. Not fear, mind you, but a little respect, please.

Good job, Theo. A healthy raise for Pap and a one-year contract. Now Jonathan, go out there and earn it!!! I’ll be cheering you on all the way! Take us to the World Series and beyond, then in 10 to 15 years we’ll have the little “Mariano” discussion.

Great work by both Pap and Theo to avoid arbitration where one party always comes out unhappy. Pap gets the raise he deserves and the Sox have an ace in the pen.

Arnie, I agree with you wholeheartedly about other nations having a healthy respect for our great country. However, I think that has been lost to a certain degree over the past eight years. Respect will have to be earned and that will begin with Obama. He is a politician, but he is also a brilliant man. He has an opportunity to do some great things. He has inherited a real mess and his first order of business will be to restore the faith of the American people in government. That won’t be easy. I don’t envy him and wonder what kind of a crazy fool would want to be POTUS now. Either he is a fool, or he has high ambitions to do good things. Time will tell. Personally, I believe he was elected because American people are simply tired of what has been going on. I’m a retired military guy, a conservative for the most part, and not the stereotypical Obama supporter. However, I am among those who is fed up and willing to try a new path. I hope for all of our sakes, he is the most successful president in history.

Also, Ray Guy did not have a 99 yard punt to my knowledge. Ray Guy is synonymous to “Hang Time”. That phrase came into existence to describe the amzaing length of time he could keep a punt in the air. The result was that while he wasn’t the longest punter, his punts were very difficult to return. He never had a punt returned for a touchdown. He is still the only pure punter to be drafted in the first round. I think he was the first punter really considered to be an offensive weapon. He should be in the HOF.

Arnie,
Could not agree with you more on the next 4 years. Let us workers do the yeomans work where we can and Obama can add the spice to complete the meal. I wish him and us luck to turn things around. I don’t think one person put us in this mess and I don’t think one person can cure it by himself so together we’ll have to dig out. I will say I was a little disappointed with the way a lot of the crowd treated Bush today. It’s just the way I am though……I think he deserved a tad more dignity than treating him like a starting pitcher who had a bad day at a visiting ballpark. Yes….he had more than one bad day….but in the end he did the best he could and it just did not work out as he planned I’m sure….but he did a good enough job to allow 95% of Americans to put 9-11 behind them. I am thinking that most of the other 5% that won’t forget are the types of folks on this blog. I feel a hell of a lot safer anyways. Just my 2 cents. GO SOX and GO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Garry, I hope for the best, but fear the worst. I’m a capitalist and I believe we have a great system in which people can rise to the limit of their abilities. Equal opportunity for all. But now we have a trend where people seem to want equal outcome for all. There is a HUGE danger in that. Add in the fact that there is a vast population in the world with a boiling rage focused on us as a symbol of decadence. I fear we’ve elected the Pied Piper of Platitudes who will lead us, willingly, to a place where we look to the government for our livelihood and to flowery rhetoric for protection from our enemies. But hey now, this is a baseball blog!!! Don’t try to distract me!! The real question is: can Barack hit a curve ball and turn the double play??? If so, he could make a lot more money playing shortstop for the Sox. I wonder if he can run a little bit? Steal 20 bases or so? Maybe we can start a petition like the one we had for Mike Lowell after 2007? BO 4 SS!!

Is there a punter in the NFL HOF? If not, why? Is a punter not a player? Is there one NFL player who would want to eliminate the punter position or who is not disappointed when a punter shanks a kick? I say there should be a closet somewhere in Canton that could house the Hall of the Punters. OK, well now we need a petition for……….

Craig, I hope BO stays out of it as much as he can. Get the government out of our hair and let us rock!!

One more piece of the Sox puzzle left. TEK!! Cmon Tek, sign up for another year! Teach the new guys and ease out with dignity and respect. You can play a longer time if you switch to part-time. Cmon Tek, get ‘er done!

Interesting on the Tek front that the Sox management did not return Boras’ phone calls. I guess they are playing hard ball, so to say, and are not going to cave and pay too much. Now what to do if you are Tek?? Take Wakefield money, says me. maybe that’s not on the table. What do you think Nation? Tek or no Tek? Who wants to wager on the outcome? I’ll put up two burritos and a nachos that he comes back for a small contract, 1 or 2 million. Right about now I’d take 1 or 2 mil. Anybody else??

tiArnie, I placed a wager on the previous thread that Teagarden would be the Opening Day catcher for the Sox, and while I am skeptical yet that Tek will re-sign, I hope very much that I lose that wager–I will be very happy to see Tek back. I still hope Judge’s formula of a year-to year option, esp. at 1-2 mil per year, would be ideal. But I am still skeptical that it will happen (Kind of like Obama–I’m hopeful, but cautious).

Call me a skeptic again, Arnie. His stats for Single-A ball did not impress me. We’ll see, if he is not part of a second trade. (I also noticed that Javier Lopez also signed a 1-year deal. Maybe that will set a bar for his salary if we can trade him–even if we have to pay that salary)!

Selective CRS, huh? Does that allow you to rememer what you have forgotten, or forget what you remember ;)? I also mentioned that I have CRS, and I only now will turn 40. What do you think that means for me when I am your age?! :/ GO SOX!

Selective CRS is like an upgraded version. It allows you to forget things at will and remember them again if that memory will now benefit you. It’s awesome!!
If you’re forgetting things now, when you are my age you will be living in a whole new reality that you’ve created for yourself. You’re gonna love it!!

Hey Guys!!! I need to chime in on this memory thing…
I have always referred to the Southern version CMS…. “can’t ‘member snit”…
and to you newer younger members of the CRS/CMS club, if you’re married it works out even better for you. Your wife asks you to do something that you dont particularly care to do??? Claim CRS, you forget your anniversary?? Claim CMS. and when they arrest your wife for Murder 1, she can claim it too!! lol

Im Ok with Varitek if contract is 1 yr 3 million with option for next year. This way if he doesn’t get out of season and half slump, not committed to next year. Anyway if he signed I think they cut his work load down to 90-100 games.

Every day that goes by makes me think that Greg is right and we won’t see Tek back in Boston. Whether it’s Taylor Teaparty or Saltalamacchiata —-geez, I thought MY name was hard to spell! or John Smith, Tek may be history. I guess Omar Moreno’s kid in Arizona is too expensive.

I would really love to have enough money to be able to buy a full page ad in the hometown newspaper where Tek lives. I’d put in there some of our blogging regarding his situation, I would just state that its time for him to let Bora** ss take his 15 percent and pound salt!! Time to eat some of that proverbial humble pie and come home. Wonder how much that would set me back??

Ellen, I would not write him at home, but I would put the ad in the newspaper (and point out the blog in it!). I think writing him at home is too much like stalking (it is disturbing to this tech dinosaur that my ADDRESS could be in a 411). But I suspect that more than one of us would be interested in seeing that ad in the paper, and (though I would not commit anyone) more than one of us might help cover the expense, if it is exorbitant. Keep us posted.

What if he doesn’t read the dang paper? Or what if that page goes into the bird cage wrong side up?
Ellen, I suggest you drive up there and hand deliver the letter from all of us. Surely Tek won’t mind, and if he does your bail wouldn’t cost as much as the ad would, so you’d be ahead in terms of expenses. Maybe you could get Sean Casey to go along to break the ice.

I think that I will call the paper tomorrow.. the town that he lives in is not all that big.
… and yes I kind of felt stalker-ish when his address popped up.. I bever really thought that it would.. i thought he would have had it blocked… Hey I wouldnt peek through his windows or anything.. unless…. LOL

Did some research on Boston pitching staffs since 2001 and Major League Ranking.
2001 4.15 9th 51 Games Varitek caught
2002 3.75 7th 132 Games
2003 4.48 17th 142 Games
2004 4.18 11th 137 Games
2005 4.74 24th 133 Games
2006 4.83 26th 103 Games
2007 3.87 2nd 131 Games
2008 4.01 9th 131 Games
Maybe me but all I see here is 2 really good years in teams ERA. 01 and 08 season almost same and Varitek caught less games. You think too much is made out of catching situation. 04 Martinez, Schilling, Lowe. Ranked 11th that is something. Just a thought. Really not too much to brag about.

You don?t bring back a player for nostalgia. I will say it with eggs on my face. The Sox are better off without Varitek. The hold up is not so much about $$ nor do I believe it lies with BoraS. Varitek simply wants more years. The fact remains Varitek is in the inevitable decline. The runners were running amok on him. His game calling (if it is his not that of the pitching coach) was atrocious in ALCS against the Rays. Tek called nothing but fast balls on the Rays hitters in Game 2, 3, 4, 5 (saved by the historic comeback). We knew the embarrassing results. You bring back a player for future benefits not for his past accomplishments even that is debatable.

The Boston Globe is reporting Jeff Newman has been contacted by the Red Sox. Also John Flaherty has a tryout at Fenway today. Rumors…rumors…Not sure if they are true but I am all for it! Sign them up Theo! Also accoring too Ken Rosenthal, Rick Cerone has been contacted by the Red Sox as well. LOL!!

“Hey Red Sox Fans. I just wanted to say I’ve worked hard on being the best player you can imagine. I’ve eaten more and I’m exercising and learning from my mistakes. Boy do I have power. I can now hit a ball almost 5 feet or 3 feet if you want it in the air and I’m much closer to making less errors. Terry Francona says he likes heavy drinking when he sees me play and I don’t know what that’s about but the rest of the team feels the same way.
Anyway, watch me in the spring. I’m shooting for 40 errors in 30 games which will be a new low for me and an average of .002 and that’s up a whole point from last year.
Finally the rumors that I’m working for the New York Yankees is a spy is totally dumb. I know that because I asked them and they never answered the question because they were laughing too much.
Take care and go Sox!

Jason Varitek dressed in a well ironed suit sat against the leaning post of John Henry. Henry didn?t look happy. Jason on the other hand had a tin cup in his hand.
?Hey?Johnny.?
?John, ?said John Henry. ?My name is John.?
?Ah?look?this thing?way out of control?I mean?we all can take a good joke right??
John nodded and chewed on his bread.
?Scott isn?t here you know?good old Scott?I mean?air.?
John waved his hand and said, ?Jason, you?re family to this team and the last thing anyone would do?is take this thing personally. I mean we offered you what I consider a great contract and to have a slap in the face like that especially after Manny and Mark Texeria?wow?it hurt?but?the past.?
There was a slight relief until a customer came by and shouted ?liberal freak show cross dresser? to Jason and left.
John, with an almost forced expression sighed and said, ?wow?that was nasty.?
?Ya, ?said Jason with an uneasy laugh. ?I mean?these rumors that keep creeping up.?
?Like what, ?said a more stoic and contemplative John.
?Oh?I think the fact that I was rumored to call ah?Al Franken a?god?and?that we need to ban cars and use bikes to get everywhere?and we should raise taxes 190% and all southerners are morons?and?I?m a crossdresser?I mean.?
?Wow, ?said John in a monotoned expression. ?I can see where that might not do well in the south here. That?s just terrible.?
Jason, who?s sweat drained his face sighed and said, ?I mean?how these rumors all happened to start after I turned down your offers?I mean.?
?Jason, ?said John. ?I don?t know what you?re implying here. I am a caring?family man and certainly the way Manny Ramirez and then Mark Texeria?and then?you?who acted like you?re going to act just like that?I mean?didn?t even cross my mind. Oh?how?s that custom Porshe of yours doing??
Jason didn?t seem to accept the concern on John?s face when he said, ?ah?it?ah??
?yes, ?said John pushing the situation along.
?It was fine?until it sort of burned?and then exploded?that was bad because??
?Because it was in your garage. I mean the entire garage burned to the ground. Wow?glad insurance covered it.?
?Ah, they didn?t, ? said Jason now gulping the wine at the table. ?They said it was faulty wiring and gas cans that leaked. ?
?Wow, ?said John. ?You are having a real bad string of bad luck. This isn?t good.?
?Ya, ?the situation??
?Jason, ?said John. ?I am so sorry for your problems. Tell you what, let?s go to your house and just watch some movies?OK??
Jason got up and said, ?do we have too??
John got up and walked forward saying, ?Jason?stop being so paranoid. I?ll drive!?
$$$
It was an hour drive to the house and when they stopped and parked Jason got up and out trying to squeeze through the mangled passenger door that accidentally hit several trees?over and over again over John?s maniacal laughter.
?Wow?Jason, I am so sorry. I had no idea what a bad driver I was and your car. I mean now it?s all dented and banged up with bullet holes in the tires. I hate it when my brand new untraceable 44 magnum accidentally goes off. I sure don?t feel lucky tonight?do I??
Jason now groveling at John?s feet cried, ?for the love of humanity?please stop this!?
John leaned down and said, ?stop what? I?m not doing anything?right??
Jason sighed and looked towards his house. A pipe of bodies came up with suits and dark glasses and baseball bats.
?Oh look. Well since you have company, I?ll just take a cab. Hey?I just wanted to say Jason that all is totally forgiven?I mean?I never hold a grudge?and you now have my permission to look at any team?s offer you want. No hard feelings!?
?John!?
?John!?
?JOHN?.?
John Henry waved to a cab and sat in the back.
?Hotel??
?Ah?no airport. We?ve cleared the air.?
John then leaned out and screamed, “hey…tell Zazu I said hello.”

Yes, Kramer, I saw that item on Pap and his new contract. As I said earlier in this thread, I think we’re going to need to get used to Pap and the Sox going year-to-year with his contract, and a long-term deal is going to be more up to Pap. Whether he thinks that is going to be in line with his stated ambitions, instead of going year-to year, will really be the question as I’m sure the FO would like to lock up Pap the same way they did Youk and Dustin, but I just don’t see that happening. GO SOX!

less than 3 weeks till ST………………..weeeeeeeeeee…….im thinkin something will get done soon with tek…maybe texas will make a deal in spring training too…i know im gettin real excited for this yr…..i cant wait for the yanks to see how much money they wasted on a dl lover and a heavy lefty who will be bashed around in the american east…judge

Rooster7 and 007, those numbers for Tek may look pedestrian, but I for one do not want to see what those numbers will look like if Tek doesn’t return (and I still doubt he will). You don’t bring a player back for nostalgia; you bring him back because the alternatives are not good. Salty or Teagarden may do respectably. But I still think we’ll see how good we’ve had it with Tek here–you don’t miss something until you don’t have it anymore. I daresay Sox fans will not want to test that idea. Get it done, Theo. GO SOX!

I would go and strap on the catcher’s gear myself but with my CRS I’d have trouble remembering which pitch I had called, who was on base, who was pitching…. Not good. It would be kind of like when I used to visit my Grandfather when he was in his 90’s. I would spend an hour or two introducing myself and explaining who I was. And he’d say,”Hey, I have a son named Arnold.” And I’d say, “Yes he’s my dad.” “Who?” “Your son, Arnold, he’s my dad. I’m your grandson.” “Oh, nice to meet you! What was your name again?” We would carry on like that for hours. One time I made the mistake of telling him I had quit my job and was taking a month off. He just couldn’t get his mind around that one. His generation didn’t quit a job unless there was another one lined up for the next day, maybe not even then. I spent hours reassuring him I would be OK, I could find more work. Hmmm…… where was I???? What were we talking about? I forget but ………..

Hey Ian, great that you are #6 now. How many places do we have to jump to make the playoffs?

Arnie, I’m about to put this blog over 200 posts. Ah, well, as this DC native always says (for Dem or Rep), “close enough for Govt. work” ;)
Dave, it looks to me, from reading your account of the Tek/JH mtg, that you’ve read one too many S. King novels. Hmmm…
Brian, if Fisk and Gedman start as the Catcher’s battery for the Sox, we can bring in Pena if one of them has to go on IR. Otherwise, Pena can DH. Sound like a plan ;)?

I have no problem having Tek return for 1 yr $5M contract with a 1 yr club option. The similar offer is on the table. I’d like to see how many here want Tek back for 3-4 yrs at $5M per. Bora$ and Tek probably ask for more $$$.
All good things must come to end. The end might well be now. The alternative may not be good. But I for one don’t want Tek back at his terms and conditions.

moanin all….i honestly think tek is reaping the fallout from the texeira fiasco…..the sox have had it with bornazz and now tek is caught in the mire…..i still would want tek to have a deal similar to timmys and have him on the bench after his playing days are done….who knows maybe replace tito lo.l….duck duck duck…..all kiddin aside….we need tek and he needs us……judge

007, I agree in part with you. I don’t think we entirely know what Tek’s terms and conditions are; rather, we know that “Beam Me Up Scotty” has been spouting off about a long-term deal. I would like Tek to return, and I think most here agree with that. I would like it if he were to accept the contract idea that you have proposed (whether at $5 mil or something like it); I would like it even better if the option were year-to-year, as Judge has proposed.
As for “the end might as well be now”, I still think that is what will happen, this year or next. I think, though, that if we start having too many instances where pitchers and the new catcher(s) are not on the same page, where there are too many P/C conferences to get them on the same page, where P/C cross-ups happen, we will begin to see how different this team will be, and Brian’s prediction (at least, I think he made it–CRS again!) that we’ll be near .500 and miss the playoffs will be all too real, and the fans will start getting edgy. (And we’ll discuss it on this blog ;)!!)
Tek knows this, I think, and in part, he’s right. Boras thinks this will get Tek a long-term deal (and Tek also, I suspect). The FO is right, I think, to not budge on that, and hence the stalemate. And I do think it is a real possibility that this will be that end.
But make no mistake–this will be a different team, both in outcomes and in leadership, with Tek not here. He is Captain for a reason. Dustin, Youk, and others will start picking up the leadership slack–to some degree, I think, they already have started that. But I see a rough pitching year (and possibly an outwardly frustrated clubhouse) if Tek does not re-sign, as correct as the FO is to not give in to Scotty. Numbers will tell part of the story, but the way Tek manages the pitching staff will really be noticed when he no longer is there–and that is something numbers cannot fully measure. If Tek re-signs for one more year, at least (assuming no option years), we’ll be in better shape, if we can groom Bard or another catcher. But we Sox fans had better fasten our seatbelts, for it could be a LONG year. All good things do come to an end–RSN might be wise to pray that now is not that time. GO SOX!

Greg: I concur with your observation. From what I have read the Sox offer Tek 1-2 yrs contract at approximately $5M per. Why doesn?t Tek take it? Tek doesn?t have a job and the Sox don?t have an everyday catcher. The chances are Tek will return at a negotiated agreement, perhaps meeting each other half way.
Tek?s present leadership quality as well his handling the pitchers and game calling ability is overrated. This Varitek is not the same Varitek of 2004 and 2007. I know the Sox pitching were in disarray after Tek went on DL in 2005. But you can?t compare the talents and depths of Sox pitching staff in 2009 to that in 2005. If Tek returns after the impasse, will the players look up to him unalterably? I wouldn?t. Just my opinion.

You’re right Brian, it was a comment that DBen made about winning 90 games (more or less) that I was thinking of–hey, I told you I have CRS Disease (Can’t Remember S—), but at least a little research could fix that one. I think DBen’s projection could be about right without Tek (or another Catcher similar to him–but I do not see such an animal on the prarie). So it was DBen I had in mind, and I still think Schill’s take on the situation is correct. (007, we’ll just have to agree to disagree on Tek). Yes, I think it will be a race between the Yanks and the Sox, but if things don’t start looking better on the Catcher front, it will be a bumpy ride in that race.

Thanks, Brian (by the way), for pointing out my faulty recollection on who said what about Tek. As I am still relatively new to the blog, I am still trying to keep a couple of you straight. (I am having difficulty, for example, keeping you and DBen straight–don’t ask me why, I don’t know, but I do. Garry and CFarnham are two others). So please bear with me and my CRS–I hope I can get you guys straight in my mind.

The Sox should offer Tek an incentive-based contract. They start with a given base e.g. $5M.If he attains a specified BA level :a given number of HR’s; a given number of games played: a given number or percentage of runners caught stealing etc he then gets additional $$$$. Essentially he is payed for performance.

Greg, you need a scorecard. We can all introduce ourselves. Until spring there really isn’t that much to post here so why not! Frankly I’m tired of the Tek saga, just get it over with already. And the super bowl just won’t be as interesting this year.

My name is Arnie. I grew up in Connecticut and most of my family are Sox fans going back to the days of Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky. i think I started reading this blog in ’05, but didn’t join in on the posting fun until ’06 maybe. ’07?? Can’t remember. I live in Colorado, work in my restaurant and follow the games as best I can. I’m sure everyone will be glad to give you an intro so you can print that out and keep us all straight.

Pangelotti, that’s a good idea, but I think your base is a little high. Let’s say a 2 mil base with incentives that are realistic and achievable. What do you think? Seems that every week Tek doesn’t sign his value goes down. Kind of like the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

I wouldn’t discount the idea that Theo has done exactly that, Pangelotti, and I suspect that that is part of what Tek and “Beam Me Up Scotty” are balking at. I would think that the main ones are games played and maybe caught stealing. (Batting avg. might be a losing proposition, as I don’t think he will be batting as much this year, if he does play–but hey, maybe Smoltz can pinch hit ;)! ) I agree that that would be an ideal type of contract. But I don’t see Tek accepting that kind of deal.

Hey Greg!!! I’m Ellen. Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, grandfather played for the evil empire in 1911 (Highlanders).I have had RedSox Compulsive Disorder since I was 6.
I am the Officially Un-official cheerleader (Craig nicknamed the cheerleader in me Trixie), Rose colored glass wearing, welcome wagon hostess!! So therefore WELCOME, albeit a little late.. We all have families that we were born or married into, but when you are here this is family too! I call it the Summer Family like in “Fever Pitch”. It used to be just during the season, but now it spans the entire year. It seems to help us deal with the reality of baseball withdrawl!!!
Hey Arnie what have you been cooking lately?? I need some new simple chicken and pork recipes…. please??

Greg,
My name is Craig Farnham. Born and raised in Vermont. Red Sox fan since 1966 when I went to my first Red Sox game at Fenway Park. Saw George “Boomer” Scott get his first major league hit. Joined the US Air Force in 1977 and spent 26 years roaming the globe. Garry was in the US Navy forever and retired quite high in the ranks. You’ll notice the difference between Garry and I right away went he starts fequenting this blog more often. He is very intelligent while I….well…I will be the one sticking up for Francona with help from Garry and Ellen. Garry is our version of Funk and Wagnalls….He will amaze you with his knowledge of the game and just about everything else. If you have a question…ask Garry….we all do!!!! One thing I can tell you though…during the season you will know us all quite well. We feel like we grew up together amd it ‘s a great place to hang out. GO SOX!!!!!!!

Ellen, I won’t go into detail here but I’ve always thought that a pork tenderloin roasted with ground juniper berries(try whole foods, you know, where Obama gets his arugula) anyway, ground juniper, rosemary, a lot of fresh garlic. Roast that over a mirepoix (carrot, celery onion–diced) with some white wine, covered with foil. When the pork is about medium, take it out and set it to cool. Strain the juice that’s in the pan and make a sauce with that. Use a little cream or sour cream to add body. Serve it with roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe sauteed in good olive oil with some garlic and basil. Slice the pork and serve it with the sauce. In case you are wondering, you do not have to cook pork well done anymore. The trichinosis(sp) is not a problem anymore. But if you are worried cook it to a temperature of 145 degrees. If you want to be fancy take your pork tenderloin and sear it all over nice and brown before you rub it with the spices and put it in the oven. I’ll get back to you with chicken ideas.

Thanks to those of you who have posted short bios for me to clipboard (new verb here). I’m sure it will help as time goes on. I mentioned in one entry that I speak Spanish. I lived in Mexico for a year and a half (church related work), and one of my colleagues called me “Gringorio”. LOVED IT! So I use it all the time. ;)

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I have seen Fenway only from the outside. I have been able to attend only one (count ‘em, ONE!) Red Sox game, in Baltimore at the old Memorial Stadium, for a birthday present in high school. So I have watched everyone from afar–Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, and Celtics (winning the NBA title this year was exciting, the first time I’ve been excited about the Celtics in a while). Hey maybe the Bruins can get Lord Stanley’s Cup this year! How ’bout it?!

Getting D.Benjamin and I confused, oh no! lol. Just kidding D. Benjamin. I assume D. Benjamin is shoveling snow or dealing with ice, he lives in the Cleveland area. Low 70’s here in Florida today. Super Bowl week is a happening around here. Not exaclty a match-up that gets people excited around the country but those are the games that usually turn out well. I will be rooting for the Cards and why not. The Cards are a great story. They have stunk for years and years. Always great too watch a underdog do well. Just like the Rays last season. Always fun too watch those type of teams.

It certainly is fun too be a Boston sports fan. So much history and so many great players have played in Boston. Legendary names like Randy Kutcher, Reid Nichols among others! LOL!! Just kidding folks.

Strange situation with the Red Sox and there catching situation. Who knows what will happen. I’m guessing Varitek will be back for 1 more season. I don’t know if that is a good thing or not. I really don’t care if Varitek is back or not! Remember what Jerry Seinfeld said, we root for the uniforms. I think he said that. Funny line I thought.

Brian, I gather from your address that you live in the TSP area. Do you get all the latest news on the Rays in the news, or do they play it close to the vest in the FO like Theo does? Is the Steinbrenner Brain Trust nearby, so you can throw a tomato or two in their direction ;)? RR–is that “railroad” or “rural route” or neither?
I do want Tek back for at least one more year, because I do not think Bard is even a short-term solution, and I don’t see another viable catcher on the menu for now. I hope Kottaras and/or someone else is ready soon, but I am not so optimistic there, either. But I don’t think a long-term deal that locks us into a contract is on our interest, so a two-year deal, or rolling options like Wake has would be best, I think. I am not optimistic, though, that that will happen. If not, I think it will be a bumpy year.

What delayed my response to your suggestion that we identify ourselves was not the snow shovelling that BosoxBrian suggested I was doing. Rather, I had to be talked in off the ledge after reading your comment that you get me confused with BosoxBrian (lol).

My name is David Benjamin. I grew up in the Worcester County area of Massachusetts near Sturbridge, Mass. My Dad instilled in me both my love of golf and my love of the Sox. The first game he took me to as a youngster was one of the last Teddy Ballgame ever played. I then vividly remember how much pressure the Boston media put on Yaz as he replaced the irreplaceable. I also remember Dick Williams’ quote as the new Sox manager during Spring Training in 1967, that the Sox would win more than they would lose, and the media’s dismissal of his comments, feeling that he had a screw loose. In the 40 years since, they have only had 6 losing seasons, 3 during the Butch Hobson years.

I remember attending Boston University in the early 1970’s walking into Kenmore Square with some of my roommates to catch a night game in the $1 bleacher seats, drinking beer and yelling into the Sox bullpen at relief pitcher Bob Veale. I remember having 1972 play-off tickets where all the Sox needed to do was win 2 of their last 3 games to get in, and cringing as they lost 2 of 3. I remember being in Cleveland for law school in 1975 (and I still cannot tell you for the life of me why I never headed down to Cincy to watch one of the World Series games).

My wife, a native Shaker Heights girl was a year behind me in law school. As we made our plans for a life together, she convinced me that we were better off living in Cleveland and vacationing in Massachusetts than vice versa. (As someone who has devoted a significant portion of his professional career to negotiating, I got off to a pretty bad start losing that negotiation to my beloved!!!)

We have remained in the Greater Cleveland area for all of our professional careers. I devoted much of my professional activity to a combination of representing local governments and their officials, along with negotiating labor union contracts for public, governmental employers. My activity in the public sector allowed me to accumulate a tidy retirement program with the Ohio State Retirement System, and almost 2 years ago, I initiated those payments. Since then, I have become more selective in the private legal work I accept, spending more of my time teaching in various colleges and law schools (currently, I am teaching at Hiram College, the University of Akron Geography Department and my alma mater, the Case Western Reserve University School of Law). It has provided me summertime opportunity to try to recapture some of my golf skills, and to do some traveling to play golf and watch the Sox.

We have two daughters and while they were growing up, I would periodically take the family to Jacobs Field (the Indians home ballpark) when the Sox were in to play. I used to be ridiculed by all three of my girls (my wife included) about not switching my fan allegiance to the Indians. Ironically, both of our daughters headed off to school at Boston University and now the fan score in my household is Red Sox 3 – Indians 1 (and the kids constantly razz my wife about it). My older daughter did pick up a Yankee-fan husband along the way (they met at BU), though for an extremely rabid Yankee and Giants’ fan, he’s a pretty good kid. Last season, it being the last season of old Yankee Stadium, we got him 2 five pax of Yankees’ tix as a birthday present, including two Sox games. I think the Yanks lost every one of those 5 games, and I still have him convinced that I put the hex on the tickets before giving them to him.

We have always vacationed in Massachusetts, often on the Cape which I have always loved (and with which my wife has some serious familial connection). I suspect that in the not-too-distant future we will buy a property on the Cape…I recognize now is the time to get serious. I have also joined the neat little golf course I learned the game on while growing up in the Sturbridge area, and travel back several times each Summer to participate in some of the member tournaments the club hosts. I have also taken those opportunities to get Fenway tix and take a bunch of my family members to Sox games. The Sox won every game I attended last season, including a game in Cincy (when Youk almost hit for the cycle and was loudly cheered as though he was a member of the Reds) and the Pawsox game I saw over Memorial Day weekend which was the first pitching start for Clay Buchholz after the Sox sent him down.

I’m still not quite sure what started the back-and-forth between BosoxBrian and me over college football. I really have very little allegiance with Ohio State, having never attended the school which is 150 miles away. I guess it must stem in part from the fact that while my wife served as a member of the Ohio State legislature from 1994-2002, and again as the first woman Insurance Commissioner the state had ever known from 2002-2006, she was given the opportunity to buy Buckeyes football tix, an opportunity we always took advantage of. It also stems from the fact that I love to give the needle almost as much as BosoxBrian clearly does.

I would also point out that, as I share my birthday with Tito Francona (who is several years younger than me), I am a fierce supporter and defender of his. I maintain that even if we were not “birthday buddies,” I would still be entirely in his corner, as I think he is the perfect person for an excruciating job.

As for BosoxBrian’s suggestion that my entries be cut up — forget it — as an attorney, I charge by the word — he should only be happy I’m not his attorney (lol). Seriously, the challenge with this blog is being correct, and I invest a great deal of time and effort in researching most everything I write to insure its correctness.

To the gentleman who let me know that his wife had committed to sending him to Pebble Beach for his 50th birthday, I would make the following suggestions:

1) As to lodging — take a look at the La Playa Hotel in Carmel Village. It overlooks the Carmel Bay and has several rooms that give you a direct look across the bay at Pebble (the 9th and 10th holes) — (Ask specifically about the rooms when you call for reservations, I don’t think those rooms are much more costly than their others, and are a whole lot less expensive than the Lodge). When my family and I were there a year ago, I did not play Pebble Beach, but talked to some of the assistants in the Pro Shop, who indicated the greens fees reduction for those staying in the Lodge was only about $25. Also, I wouldn’t worry about getting onto Pebble Beach from outside. At the price Pebble Beach charges for its greens fees, they work everybody in!

2) In terms of other places to play, the one place you have to try to play is Cypress Point Club. Yes, I know that it is exclusive and private (I am blessed by having a 91 – year old member in my town who has employed me to do a little legal work for him). However, there are members scattered around the country. The first time I played Cypress, my buddy and I talked our way on through a guy who ran the Cypress pro shop. I don’t know if that’s still possible, but all they can say is NO.

Beyond Cypress, there is another private club on the peninsula named Monterey Peninsula C. C. I have not tried to access it (they have 36 holes), but it has to be nice. I believe it served as one of the initial hosts of the Crosby after the Crosby moved up from Rancho Santa Fe.

Also, in Carmel Valley, there is Carmel Valley Ranch, an incredible Pete Dye-designed course which I believe now readily accepts outside play. A ways up the coast in Santa Cruz is Pasatiempo, an Alastair McKenzie (he of Cypress Point and Augusta National fame)-designed course. McKenzie lived in a home located just off one of the fairways (I think its the 5th hole, the first Par-5 on the course, the house sits approx. 175 short of the green, and its location is well-marked).

Also, if you are going to spend anytime in San Francisco, there are Olympic, San Francisco G. C. and Harding Park. San Francisco GC is quite private — I am still amazed 25 years after I arranged a game there. While Olympic is also private (it has hosted several US Opens) I believe they are more inclined to allow outside play arranged by a local pro. So, if one of your traveling companions belongs to a private club, his/her home course pro may be able to arrange it for you with a phone call. Harding Park is a public access course, and while I have not yet played it, I have heard rave reviews about it.

As far as returning Tek is concerned, I don’t expect the Sox to pay a “past performance” premium, and I think that may eventually cause a problem getting him back into the fold.

As I read his comments after his meeting with John Henry, Tek seemed rather “down in the mouth.” I interpret that he tried to chide Henry into dramatically upping the Sox offer, and Henry explained the “Bosox facts of life to Tek.” I don’t believe that it has much to do with squeezing a Borass-represented player, but rather squeezing a contract down to the value the Sox assign to it. With Theo at the helm, they have established value and agreed to pay to it, not beyond it. I don’t see Dice-K as an exception to that: the Sox did bid significantly more for his posting fee rights, but that was simply to insure they would have the opportunity to sign him. They then squeezed down his value to the point they established.

I was also floored by Tek’s comment that the reason he didn’t agree to arbitration was that the Sox could have released him after concluding an arbitration-based deal with him. Imagine that, they release him, he collects 1/6th of his contract (approx. $1.6+ Mil by all accounts), and then he could go sign with another team without worrying about losing draft choices. Right, real smart strategy Tek — did Borass suggest that one too?!?!?!?

I was flabbergasted by Dan Shaughnessy’s article today that the two sides should simply kiss and make up and the Sox should pay whatever it costs to get him back in the line-up. That is simply not the Sox trademark — they pay the value they establish and not much more (could you imagine them paying $30 Mil. more than the next highest bid for CC Sabathia as the Yanks did — I’d like to believe that the reason they did not prevail in the Big Teix sweepstakes is because his ultimate price exceeded the Sox-established value-evaluation — a position, as a casual ticket-buyer, that I can embrace).

It is sad, as a Tek-supporter, to see him put himself in a position of begging for a higher offer…he can end the suspense by either accepting the offer or saying, as Smoltzie did with the Braves, that the team’s offer was not enough, and he is eventually going elsewhere. I remember the hard-feelings with Carlton Fisk, and I’d like to see the Sox avoid another situation like that with another franchise catcher/player. However, I suspect that Tek continues to take advice from Borass, like if you hold out, they will come to your number, or as other players (like Schill and Pap) call for your return, the Sox will increase their offer. I don’t think it will happen, and in the interim, will be increasingly embarrassing for Tek.

So Tek, take my advice (after all, its free): recognize that the Sox offer is what it will be. If its sufficient for you, accept it, and declare in the loudest terms how great it is to be back as a member of the Sox. If it isn’t, thank the Sox profusely for the opportunity to make loads of money doing what you love to do, playing on winning teams with great teammates, and indicate, graciously, that you are going in a different direction for the balance of your career. Oh, and by the way, stop taking advice from Borass and Dan Shaughnessy!!!

Dbenj: you graduated from Case Western?? My late (former marriage) great father in law graduated from there years and years ago. He went on to be a District Court Judge in the Pam Beach area before he passed away. He always raved about the school. I really liked him so I respected his opinions about most things, minus sports of course,,, He followed the Yankees and LOVED the Indians and the Steelers.

Thanks, David, for your response. I am glad you talked me off the ledge that you had allegiance to Ohio State–UGH!!! ;) My wife is from Akron, and is grad of the University of Akron (and is also an Indians fan–so I knew she was crazy–but I married her anyway! ;). So it appears we have flawed women as a common thread! Hmmm…).
As much as I am a Tek fan also, I couldn’t agree more with your assessment of Tek and Co. overpalying their hand.
While I am not a golfer (I literally cannot see straight) my grandparents were both avid golfers, and so I ended up with a knowledge and respect (if not a passion) for the game. But I watch the Majors, I enjoy watching Tiger (but not many don’t) and this year’s Ryder Cup was great! GO SOX!

Hey Guys!!! You know how Julie has come over to let us know that we’ve moved up in the MLB BLOG rankings?? Well she has a blog and its pretty darned good. webiefitz.mlblogs.com is where you can check it out. Maybe we can help her move from #4 in the “fan blogs”up higher by visiting the blog! Go Julie!!!!

Kramer: You heartbreaker you!!! I wonder if “The Mayor” will run for an office?? lol… Another dirt dawg bites the dust!!! I will miss seeing him out there!!!! GOOD LUCK SEAN CASEY, Whatever it is that you seek to do!!!!

Greg: I am in the “composing state”… I heard that Tek and his ex had to go to arbitration today and that it is “possible” that he is keeping the Sox’ offer on the table until after the arbitration meeting……. As soon as I finish the letter I will let y’all know.

Stupid me, I didnt realize that the offer that was made to Tek when he refused the initil offer was not “guarunteed salary”. I should have thought “Bronson Arroyo”…. I’m not sure that along those lines that Tek was that wrong in not accepting… He could have been shipped off somewhere else without his approval… Is my thinking wrong????

Dbenj, actually it was me suggesting that you sometimes break up some of your more Dickensian posts into chapters. I did not mean to be insulting or, worse, cost you your considerable per-word fees; rather I made my suggestion in the spirit of family, trying to vault Ian’s blog into the #1 position in the MLBlog playoff race. You would be our “big bopper” , our RBI guy in the clutch when Ian needs a grand slam of posts to get over the hump. Personally I read every word of your posts and find them informative, detailed and entertaining. No offense intended.

I assume to get too that ledge, all you had too do was climb a snowbank or two. HA..HA…Wind chill factor in the Tampa area was 70. You said you grew up in Sturbridge. Folks in the Boston area, call that part of Mass. New Yorkers. LOL!!

It was Arnie that suggested that you break up your posts. If you can do that, Ian will be #1. Not sure what Ian gets for being #1. Perhaps a bye in the first round and blog field advantage or something like that. Then again perhaps nothing coming Ian’s way.

Does anyone know what blog is #1??? If it is the Yankees blog, obviously they go by quanity not quality. Let’s face it, quality is what Ian’s blog is all about!

I’ve looked at the Yankee blog from time to time and it is filled with drivel and droolings that are sometimes so incoherent as to make you wonder just what the poster is injecting. Forget smoking. Idiocy on Parade is the name of that blog, I think.

Jim, I just read about Sean. I think that will be an easy transistion for him and he seems to have the type of personality that would be a great fit on a show like Hot Stove. Good Luck to Sean.
Lots of well known names sttill out there on the market.
Nomar, Kev-Lar, Zazu,Dunn, Griffey.. I think this is one of those things that make Brian go, “Hmmmmm”!! I think that the clubs are waiting to see where Zazu goes and for how much before offering $$’s to the likes of Dunn and the rest.

That doll explains everything. lol. You mentioned Nolan Ryan on here a week back or so. He is the only pitcher too strike out both Tito and Terry Francona. I thought you would be interested in that. Not the only father/son duo’s he struck out. He also got the Griffey’s and I believe he got the Alou’s as well. Not sure on the Alou’s. I am too lazy too look it up. LOL!!

I am o.k. with Varitek and a 1 yr. deal but nothing more than that.

Ellen,

Agree very much with Zazu signing and others will follow.
I think a team looking for a starter at the end of there rotation, John Garland would be ideal. 30 or more starts in each year since 2002. I don’t know who that team is but if I was a g.m. and needing a 4th or 5th starter I would sign Garland. He is durable and has won a title back in 2005 with the White Sox. Garland is only 29 yrs. of age.

Guys like Nomar have very little options in 2009. Griffey, Jr. is getting quite the reality check as well. Griffey, Jr. such the natural but was always hurt. He was one guy I thought had a chance too crack 700 H.R.’s but dove for anything and everything while in the outfield. He always seemed too be hurt/injured. Like Larry Bird, diving for loose balls while the Celtics were up big. Bird could have had a longer career but then again that is why he is one the best hoop players I have ever seen. Jordan the best I have ever seen.

Dben,
It was me that is turning 50 and headed for the whole Pebble Beach thing. Can’t wait. I appreciate all your input on the trip and will definitely run it by the group. Our PGA Pro at our course is going wiith us and has secured tee times at Pebble Beach and Spyglass. I, like yourself, am an avid golfer. I hit range balls 5 times a week and play twice a week. Now for the important question…..What’s in your bag!!!!!

Arnie…..
This whole Varitek contract “drag out” exercise has finally got me tho the point where I am disinterested. That’s saying a lot for me because I usually panic when situations like this crop up involving the Red Sox. I like Jason, hate Borass, and now don’t care what happens. They finally wore me down. It just seems like everyone needs to save face and like you said…the Sox blinked first. Borass better figure out the need of Varitek vs the demand of the rest of the league pretty quick. Seems like Borass malpracticed this case.

Well, I hope a deal is struck that both sides will be happy with. A two-year deal is something I think both sides can live with, and I would think it would give any “catcher of the future” to emerge (007, we’ll disagree again on his value, statswise, to the team). I still am not sold on Bard as his long-term replacement (I am willing to be proven wrong, though), and I don’t know if Kottaras is the answer, either. I hope this year will bring that “future catcher” on to the radar.
What I hope, though, is that this is not something that gives “Beam Me Up Scotty” reason to strut. I would like, more than anything, for the Red Sox FO to give Bornass the verbal (and literal, preferably) spanking he so deserves! (But I can hope!) I think this deal will give Bornass the chutzpah to think that he is the reason this deal gets done. That will be bad for business and MLB down the road. :/

I agree Garry….Born”an”*** will brag how he got the deal done no matter how it happens. It appears the “get a catcher from Texas” option is not going to happen if the Sox are going a little harder after Varitek.

Craig, your comment is a perfect example of why some, including Yours Truly, think that there is such a thing as too much information, and when that is lacking, too much coverage of an issue. Sometimes it is just better (in this humble peon’s opinion) not to know how the sausage gets made.

Greg, (Why in the heck did I call you Gary earlier?)
In today’s day and age of media coverage….every time someone sneezes we read about it. I agree, just tell me when the deal gets done or when another team signs him and leave the micro details out. I can handle rumour mill stuff that have a chance to pan out but this Varitek situation has reached it’s pinnacle with me.

Ellen,
I think I will be first ballot “no life” HOF with you and Arnie. Iwent out and played golf at 6″30 AM by myself this AM and was done by 8:00 and home by 8:30 AM. And here I am!!!!! Typing and watching the Celtics rip the Mavericks a new butt!!!

Craig, I’ve been called Gary more than once (and Craig, and Jeff, and George, etc.)–don’t worry about it.
Ellen, that analogy comes from living in DC too long (“There are two things you don’t ever want to see made–laws and sausages”). ;)

Ellen,
I see JimM beat me to the punch! Guess you’ll be glued to the MLB Network 24/7!!!

Arnie & Brian,
Though hard to find, Bombers Beat does have it’s merits! I am persistant there despite the bumps and bruises I take! I plan to continue unless I suffer an asthma or heart attack!!!

Greg,
On 4/4/1969 I was almost ten years past my high school graduation. Our 50th reunion happens this year! Fortunately the only time I feel old is when I look in a mirror!
I’ve lived in New Jersey all of my life and now enjoy retirement in a senior citizen village along with my wife (who still works) and our dog, Pudge. I’ve been a Yankee fan since 1950 but also follow the Phillies (since the 1970s.)
I started blogging in October 2007 and have been allowed the pleasure of being a regular here since 2008 despite my loyalties! The above comments about Bombers Beat explain why. It was also fun to root for the Red Sox last year after the Yankees were eliminated! I’m also blessed with the time to read many other baseball sites and like to bring some news here. I hope you continue to contribute!

Thanks you guys!!! Although I am sad that he wont be returning to “the fold” I’m glad that his new career isnt selling cars or insurance (not that there is anthing wrong with either of those occupations), I’m glad to see that his years in the “show” and knowledge of the game will be put to good use… AND ( you guys know I just HAD to say this) He aint too bad to look at either!! LOL :~)

I really thought Sean Casey was a big contributor to the team last year both on and off the field. He is a class act and I hope whatever he does he enjoys the hell out of it. He and Alex Cora will be missed. Ellen, we will have to find you some new eye candy. My wife can’t get enough of Jacoby Ellsbury…..

Adam Melhuse signing with Texas could be a signal that Taylor Teagarden or Jarrod Saltalamacchia are en route to the Red Sox. Cafardo cautions that’s probably not the case since the Rangers have not come down on their asking price of Clay Buchholz.

Kramer, one time I was perusing the Yankee blog and I saw you had posted some minor league scores there. Then one of your fellow bloggers made some rude comment about you giving them information about their team! I was really surprised. I would have thought the info would be appreciated. They are a tough group over there.

Ellen, you don’t want to know where the sausage comes from or what it goes into! LOL

Craig, sounds like you will be eligible for the Hall alright. My father was a golfer and he took me a couple times. It would take me 2 hours to complete the first 9. I was a major hazard out there!

Thanks, Kramer, for your reply. I am curious, and I don’t mean this in a backhanded way (so forgive me if it sounds this way), but as a Yankee fan, what drew you to this blog at all? I’m glad you’ve interacted with us, and it’s clear you’ve made friends on this blog, but what prompted the interaction with “the Dark Side” ;)? I look forward to interacting with you further.
Ellen, Casey’s going to MLB Network would give you all the more reason to watch MLB.TV! You can still get your “eyecandy” ;).

Arnie,
About the sausage…..you are right. My dad was a meat inspector for the state of Vermont when I was a kid. When we had days off from school I would sometimes make the rounds with him. One of the plants we would go to was called MacKenzie Meats. I saw them process hot dogs and sausage…….YOWSER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig, Jacoby is a little on the “slender side” for me…. We’ll figure something out. Though I used to drive my mother crazy when I would date guys shorter than myself.. Gee.. I wonder if there is anyone on rhe team under 5’7″. Hmmmm, I think there maybe one… but he would be like a little brother….. lol

One more thing…if you ever get to Cleveburg…let me know. I belong to Canterbury GC, which is where the Senior PGA will be played in May. I’d be happy to accommodate you, although right now we are under a foot of snow!

Craig, meat processing plants are the netherworld of the food business. Nightmare-ish! A bakery is probably the most pristine, although most bakers and pastry chefs are lunatics. At least in the eyes of chefs. Bakers are more precise and anal. Almost prissy. Whereas chefs are a lot more spontaneous and tend to be more off the cuff. Think of a baker/pastry chef as a classical musician and a chef as a rock musician.

Greg,
The main attraction was to see/learn about both sides of “the rivalry.” There are no better games than Red Sox VS. Yankees. No World Series match up can top an ALCS between the two. And my prior experience with Francona and Schilling as Phillies was another attraction. More directly if you wish (or anyone.) My E-mail is below.

Kramer, that makes sense. Not that you are a Red Sox fan, but following both teams makes me think of a quip that I have heard about Stephen Jay Gould, who supposedly was a Yankee and Red Sox fan simultaneously, that he actually died of schizophrenia! ;) (I have warned my aunt of this problem of Yankee/Red Sox dual loyalty!) The Yankee/Red Sox rivalry is definitely the best in sports! The Francona-Scilling connection with the Phillies makes sense, also.

Dben,
Thanks for the invite….if I ever get back that way I’ll be sure to look you up. If you come to Vegas we’ll either play Sienna GC or Red Rock. Nice comeback on the bag!!!!!! I have a Taylor Made 425 driver, V Steel 3 wood, 21 and 24 degree Titelist hybrids. Cleveland CG Gold 5-SW, Cleveland 588 Lob Wedge, Odyssey 2- ball putter.

Ellen, Longmont is famous for its turkey plant. But they are closing it soon. I always thought that the plant gave Longmont its weird karma. But you likely were smelling the feed lots east of Greely. They gather the cows there and fatten them up before they sell them to be slaughtered. When we are going to get rain or snow the air flow is from the northeast and you can smell the cows really strong. The cold air coming from the Canadian plains meets the warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and you get the Nor’easter effect.

Ellen, that’s a fun article about Torre’s book. Something that Sox fans will love. But I’ve learned to take that sort of thing through a filter. Some of it may be exaggeration. But it’s awesome nonetheless! A-Fraud!! hahaha You were right on about the lip gloss.

I dont know… Torre seems to be a pretty up front, shoot from the hip, stand up guy.. I think that I’d probably believe about 95 percent of whats in the book (and I know I WILL buy it)… being a RedSox fan doesnt have ANYTHING to do with me enjoying all the DIS-ING that will more than likely be in there !! haha lol
ps If you believe that, I have some property for sale 15 miles east of Fort Lauderdale that I can sell you cheap.!! (4 -5 miles off shore, lol)

Hey, Kramer, one of Ian’s previous threads referred to the Sox/Yanks rivalry being back to 03-04 intensity (which should be fun). It should be interesting to see how that rivalry level looks now that we no longer have a “Curse” to deal with–we can kick the Yanks’ butts on a more consistent basis, perhaps ;)?!!
Was it coincidence that Pudge Rodriguez joined the Yanks last year–did your dog have a hand in that? ;)
Arnie, hopefully you’ll be less of a “hazard” on the course if you avoid the water. Probably not the kind of “drink” you want out there!

cfarn,
It’s interesting that your wife likes Jacoby. He was rumored to be here for the Sun Bowl last month when Oregon State played and had my wife known where to find him, there’d be slim pickin’s left for yours!

Just read that the Sox offered a second year to Varitek. Like Ellen says, the season’s right around the corner and it’s looking Grrrrreeat!

Nice to have a Yank fan on the blog, Kramer. But after perusing many a Yank blog, I must say that your writing skills far exceed your pinstriped pals. Plus, it’s nice to read blogs from New Yawhkuhs that don’t include !@#$ the Sox in every other sentence. Welcome.

We will be in Tucson during the first week of the Cactus League this spring (the wife has another competition) and hope to catch a few games. Wish it were Ft. Myers! We should make Fenway at least 10 times this summer so maybe I’ll actually get to meet one or two of you!

I know this is off-subject, but have any of you read about Brandon Jennings, the U of A recruit who by-passed his college career for a quick pay day in the European Hoops leagues and quite possibly a lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft? Seems he was complaining that he only “got paid once on time” so far this season in Italy. Is it just me, or would he have done better to stay in college, where the paychecks are better anyhow (for future lottery picks)?

Theo bidding against himself on the Varitek situation. Certainly not the first time Theo has done that. Drew, Lugo comes too mind. Varitek should be offered a contract for 1 year! I think Theo is one of the best g.m.’s in the game but I disagree here big time!

This is the “take it or leave it” offer by the Sox.
Management has bent over backwards for Varitek, if he declines this, there will be no other offer.
Boras and Varitek, played this off-season market very stupid.
Sox got to be tired of all these dumb comments
Didn’t know the Class A Free Agent Compensation,
If Arbitration offer was picked up he would be cut.
52 million dollar contract he was looking for.
He put all this blame on ownership, when in reality Varitek and Boras were to blame.
This contract offer is more than fair, in fact TOO high if you ask me. Sox own all the cards as of right now, they did not have to offer him anything.
NOW lets see who is LOYAL!!

All this talk about farm animals reminds me of my days playing ball back in Clinton, IA for the Class A Clinton Pilots. When I arrived at the ball park the first time, I couldn’t believe it. There was a pig pen built just inside the main gate which contained two very large pigs. It was a promotional deal and ticket holders had the opportunity to win the pigs on “Pig Night”. There were over 10,000 people there on pig night, largest crowd of the year.

Craig, we gotta play some golf some time. I’m not as accomplished as you are, but I really enjoy just being out there. You’re a serious golfer if you go out and play by yourself. I don’t think you could do that here in Florida. Courses are pretty crowded. If you get a round in under five hours you’re doing well on the weekends. There are 30 courses within 15 miles of where I live here near Jacksonville. Most are built around subdivisions. NAS Jacksonville has a real nice 27 hole course that is the most played course in the state.

i would say 2-3 days at most till tek signs….im still thinkin a deal will get done either in spring trainin or before deadline for a texas catcher….texas is desperate for pichin which we have…..heres a lineup to ponder

JimM,
Thanks for the flowers (a CB term.) It’s a stretch to call most other Bombers Beat contributers my “pals.”

Greg,
Consistant beatings by one side or the other has never been the reality no matter what the standings or percieved team strengths. That’s the beauty of the greatest rivalry! Hmmm, now what was the 2008 head to head record???

Of course you’re right, Kramer, but it’s still fun to pull the other guy’s leg (I do it with my dual-loyalty aunt all the time ;)!–and we can always dream anyway! ) Besides, in 07, we did not win the “season series” (8-10) but still won the WS. So the Curse Busting Effect still can work favorably! ;)
It must have been cool watching the Phillies win this past year, eh? (We agreed on one team to root for!) Now that they have broken Philly’s own drought, though, they can go back to sleep for another decade! ;)

Kramer, I have been pulling my Aunt’s leg longer, so if that counts as “preference”…Then yet, I have two hands, so I do not have to choose! ;)
Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins have had that “big ego” tag applied to them, deservedly or not, I don’t know. But the fans sure seem to be strutting a little.

Greg,
Don’t tell my wife you’re trying to get your Aunt and I together so you can pull simultaneously!
Rollins is a bit brash and cocky. The Mets thought he was in spring 2007 when he predicted the Phils taking the NL East, then they did! I haven?t seen enough of Howard interviews yet for an opinion.

I left your Canterbury invitation on “the ledge,” and now that we have had just a little melting activity, the snowbank in front of it has shrunk. Guess your out of luck (lol)! Recognize however, I shoot my highest scores on the 19th hole, and there doesn’t even need to be a golf course anywhere nearby! Your invited to the 19th hole anytime.

im prospering to this street factor called a friday fest with my friend tonight and idk what it is,there like stands and poppycock, but if u separate, plz tell me so i can be enduring a elevated shilly-shally!!! lol
-THANKS!! :)

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